Flag to officially represent the Isle of Skye

A flag for Skye is to be unveiled in March

An official flag is to be made to represent the Isle of Skye.

A competition for designs is running until 1 December and a shortlist of ideas will be put to a public vote in February.

The winning design will be unveiled in March and formally approved by Scotland's heraldic authority, the Court of the Lyon Court.

Similar projects were held to find flags to represent Barra, Caithness and also Sutherland.

• Pole winners: The many flags of Scotland

The West Highland Free Press newspaper, local councillors and tourism body SkyeConnect petitioned the court about having a flag made for Skye.

Organisers of the competition hope both young people and adults will submit ideas.

Sutherland's new flag, right, with that of the county's neighbour Caithness

Designs can be entered through the West Highland Free Press' website.

Philip Tibbetts, honorary vexillologist with the Court of the Lord Lyon, has been visiting schools on Skye to encourage children to draw flags.

He said: "The flag should be simple enough to draw it from memory, and it shouldn't include writing and other intricate detail which is difficult to see at a distance.

"But given Skye's iconic status, the potential for both the design and subsequent usage of a flag for the island is incredible. It's fantastic to see Skye become the latest community to start the journey of developing its own flag to fly proudly alongside the Saltire."

Keith MacKenzie, West Highland Free Press journalist and director, added: "Skye is home to 10,000 people but it is famous the world over.

"Given the island's beauty, history and rich and living culture there should be no shortage of ideas to inspire a flag."