Standing room only at Callanish stones

VISITOR facilities at a historic site in the Western Isles are being upgraded after demand surged following a cut in ferry fares.

About 40,000 tourists visit the Callanish standing stones in Lewis each year and that number increased by 40 per cent last year after the introduction of road equivalent fares on ferries.

The visitor centre's kitchen and restaurant are now being extended as part of a wider expansion of facilities at the Iron Age site. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is providing 24,000, while 61,050 is coming from Western Isles Council's community challenge fund and the Tourism in the Community Fund.