The Scottish capital’s newest allotments have been officially opened on the site of a former bowling green in Leith.

Growers who are already on-site have enjoyed fresh fruit and vegetables since cultivating the plots at Victoria Park earlier this year after a local consultation found people wanted some form of community garden on the site of one of the area's under-used bowling greens.

The facility cost £50,000 to develop and was funded by Edinburgh City Council’s parks and greenspace department, which said the allotments were created to be in-keeping with the surrounding environment.

Retired teacher Colin Finlayson managed to secure an allotment from the new batch after nine years on the waiting list.

He said there are benefits on top of having the healthy fresh produce he has grown such as potatoes, leaks, raspberries and strawberries.

He said: "I suppose one of the big things for me is I'm 73 and it gets me out three times a week.

"I don't know if it saves you money but it means it's really fresh."

There are 16 "mini" allotments on-site, along with a toilet and communal storage unit, plus a community plot for use by pupils of the neighbouring Trinity Academy, encouraging education in food growing, biodiversity and nature.

The move came after a 2014 proposal to redevelop a number of council-managed bowling greens after a significant drop in users over previous years.

Other bowling greens have since been turned into tennis and petanque courts, growing areas and in one case a school playing field.

The Victoria Park allotments were designed to be easily accessible for people of all abilities, and were offered to local residents and those on the wider waiting list for city allotments, which range in cost from between £25 and £100 depending on concessions and plot size.