Thieves take 40 boat anchors away

The thefts happen near Portmahomack, Easter Ross

Forty anchors - some dating back 100 years - have been stolen from a shoreline in the Highlands.

Police have been investigating the thefts from near a bothy at Meikle Tarrell, Portmahomack, Easter Ross.

Northern Constabulary said it would have taken several people, or lifting gear, to remove the anchors.

Owner William Paterson said they were used for anchoring salmon nets and that it could cost between £500 and £600 to replace each one.

'So inaccessible'

However, he said if they were stolen for scrap the metal was only likely to fetch about £15.

Mr Paterson said: "Some of these anchors go back to the days of sail boats.

"I thought they were reasonably safe because the place is so inaccessible. You can't drive down there in a car."

A police spokeswoman said: "The anchors are very large, about 6ft in length, and very heavy, weighing about 150kg each."

The anchors went missing over the past five weeks.