Highlands wins European funding

The Highland region is one of the poorest in Europe

Community projects in the Highlands and Islands are to receive £8.7m of European funding, the Scottish Executive has announced.

With match funding, six ventures across the region will receive £32.6m.

The Scottish Executive's rural affairs department will receive further European funding over the next three years.

Deputy Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Minister Lewis Macdonald said: "This latest round of funding brings support to a range of excellent projects."

Mr Macdonald said the money would contribute to the local economy and improve access to and for rural communities.

He said: "The successful organisations deserve great credit for the work that they have done to be awarded this funding. The real work will now begin to implement these projects. "

A £2.7 million Highlands and Islands MediCentre to provide training and research facilities for local health care staff has already been approved.

Highlands Council were awarded more than £1 million towards constructing a link road to an Inverness Airport Access Road.

More than £700,000 will be spent upgrading the A832 linking Achnasheen to Kinlochewe.