New £6m Scottish Land Fund launched by government

A new fund backed with £6m from the Scottish government has been set up to help pay for community buy-outs.

The Scottish Land Fund was unveiled by Environment and Climate Change Minister Stewart Stevenson on the Galson Estate.

The estate on Lewis was taken over by crofters in a community buy-out five years ago.

The SNP made a commitment to launch the new fund following the winding-up of a previous land fund in 2006.

Like the old fund, the new one will be administered by Highlands and Islands Enterprise alongside the Big Lottery Fund.

In a separate funding announcement, two community projects in the Western Isles have secured £284,397 of lottery money.

The cash from the Big Lottery's community spaces fund will go towards upgrading the village hall in Daliburgh in South Uist.

The Aline community woodland in Lewis will also benefit.

New paths will be laid out to improve public access to the area.