A meeting held to gauge support for a community buyout of North Uist has voted overwhelmingly against the move.

Residents at a heated public forum criticised local councillors for launching a process to take over the 75,000-acre estate island.

A similar public meeting was held in Lochmaddy Hall last night.

On Tuesday night the audience forced a vote by a show of hands, and only three of the 70-plus people present backed commissioning a feasibility study to examine the pros and cons of community control.

An estimated 75% of the audience who voted want to abandon the idea.

An independent, island-wide postal ballot will formally canvass the island's 1000 adult residents.