Concerns have been raised over police stations in the Highlands closing their doors through the night, to save money, although police officers will still be on duty inside.

New opening times will come into effect in April for eight of Northern Constabulary's 50 police stations in an effort to "provide the most effective and visible front-line police service within existing police budgets".

This is thought to mean cutting civilian staff hours while maintaining officer numbers.

Lerwick, Wick, Fort William, Dingwall and Stornoway front counters will no longer be open to the public 24 hours per day, and there will be a reduction in reception opening hours for Thurso, Alness and Portree.

Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Julian Innes said: "Police will still maintain a visible presence in communities, working out of the stations, shared premises or on mobile patrols.

"Reception hours of stations will be tailored to actual demand as 95% of requests for service are made by telephone rather than counter calls.

"We encourage people to contact us during opening hours where they have a routine enquiry. However, if at any time people require a police response, that response will still be provided.

"People can still dial 999 in an emergency and for non-emergencies can still contact police on a 24-hour basis by telephoning their nearest police station or 101, the national non-emergency number.

"Any stations without 24-hours reception staff have external telephones available to the public so they can get immediate assistance if required."

He said Northern Constabulary was already highly efficient and had maximised its resources into front-line policing over the past few years.

But Dingwall and Seaforth councillor Graham MacKenzie said: "In Dingwall it increases the feeling that services are being stripped out from the community particularly as it sits alongside the proposal to close Dingwall Sheriff Court."