Members of the breakaway Continuing Free Church may sanction legal action against the official Free Church of Scotland.

The 22 ministers, suspended last month by the Free Church, have been meeting in Inverness that they may need to mount legal action if their cases are to be heard.

The ministers, who have formed the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing), were suspended after being accused of defying church codes.

They have been holding a general assembly in Inverness to hear views from legal experts on possible ways of challenging decisions made by the official denomination.

Industrial tribunals

The rebels could sanction legal action in an attempt to have their cases against suspension heard.

One of the difficulties for the group is that, in the past, industrial tribunals have regarded ministers as office holders who are not covered under employment law.

That may necessitate legal action under the European Convention of Human Rights, a move which the Free Church of Scotland says would be a mistake.

The dispute centres around Professor Donald Macleod, who was cleared in 1996 of indecent assault. A sheriff said there had been a conspiracy against him.

But a group of ministers refused to accept the decision.

Kirk bastions

The split has caused tension in traditional bastions of the Free Kirk, like the Western Isles.

On Skye, five out of the six ministers were suspended, taking many of their congregations with them.

In the island's main town, Portree, the Rev. William McLeod said it was a break which had to happen: "I feel very sad, because I love all the members of the congregation.

"I am very sad that this division has come amongst us and that some have left. I am very conscious of the empty pews.

"I felt I had to act in the way I did. I thought it was important to stand for truth and justice. When you stand for truth you have to leave the consequences with God."

But 20 miles away in Dunvegan, the Rev Murdo McLeod has stayed in the Free Church. He is resigned to the schism: "The church has been splitting itself from the beginning, but we have tried hard for this not to take place.

"We feel sad, but division is the work of man, not the work of God."