More youngsters taking up shinty in Highlands

Shinty is being coached at more schools, according to Highland Council.

The sport has also been used to encourage more people to learn Gaelic following a successful pilot project run on Skye.

A report to the council's Gaelic committee said more schools were delivering shinty as part of the PE curriculum.

The sport has also been offered as an after school pursuit and stronger links were being forged with clubs.

The report said it has been proposed to roll out the Skye project to other areas.

The pilot used Gaelic to teach children to play shinty.

Last summer, local authority officials reported that just under 9% of Highland schoolchildren played it.

Council figures showed 1,462 primary school boys played shinty and 722 girls.

In secondary schools, 429 boys and 181 girls had taken up the sport.

The Camanachd Association, the sport's governing body, has been helping to increase the availability of shinty at schools.