Isabel McLeish, Hugh Webster and Claire Martin from Lynx in Scotland, pictured during a consultation session at Inverinate hall last Thursday. BY JACKIE MACKENZIE The first round of community consultations in Lochalsh into a proposed reintroduction of lynx concluded this week with promoters saying the sessions had raised “curiosity, concern and support”. Drop-in events were held in Inverinate last Thursday and in Stromeferry and Achmore Hall on Tuesday to gather local views on a return of the wild cats, an initiative led by the Lynx to Scotland partnership. A total of 42 engagement sessions are taking place across Highland through until the end of February. A partnership between three charities, Lynx to Scotland believes Highland and Moray has enough woodland and wild prey, such as roe deer, to support up to 250 of the wild cats. This week a spokesperson from Lynx to Scotland said: “Our local information sessions have...

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Photograph: Nathan Williams A new £2.78 million Shannon class RNLI lifeboat, destined for the Portree station on Skye, has been officially launched into the water for the first time. The state-of-the-art vessel, which has been named RNLB Peter and Mary (13-59), received the traditional bell ringing ceremony at the All-Weather Lifeboat Centre in Poole last Tuesday before being lowered into the water. The bell ringing ceremony is a tradition upon completion of a new lifeboat, signifying the end of watch for the previous lifeboat and the start of watch for the new one. The vessel will now undergo extensive sea trials in the south to prepare her for active service, before her arrival in Portree at a date to be announced. Attending the launch ceremony in Poole were (left to right) Peter Urquhart, deputy launch authority; Carol Nicolson, long-serving RNLI volunteer; and John “Clanky” Nicolson, station mechanic. Photograph: Nathan Williams...