Election push for Harris national park

THE Scottish election will be used by campaigners to lobby for Harris to become the country's third national park.

The annual meeting of the Scottish Campaign for National Parks (SCNP) has given unanimous support to the bid for Harris, in the Western Isles, to receive the designation.

A ballot in 2009 showed local people voted 732 to 311 in favour of park status, which they felt would boost tourism and help reverse population decline. Others feared an increased demand for housing.