Bridge wants heritage status

THE Forth Bridge is among six Scottish bids for World Heritage site status.

Thirty-eight UK places are competing to be recognised by United Nations' cultural body Unesco.

The other Scottish bids include Arbroath Abbey, where the Declaration of Arbroath was signed in 1320, and the buildings of Charles Rennie Mackintosh in Glasgow.

The UK government will submit a final list next year with a view to making six nominations in 2012.

There are currently more than 800 World Heritage sites, including Edinburgh's Old and New towns, the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China and the Statue of Liberty.

UK tourism and heritage minister John Penrose said: "This list represents the unique variety and history present in all corners of this country."