A FREIGHT ferry has been damaged after colliding with a pier.

The Seatruck ferry, which is chartered by CalMac, collided with the pier at Stornoway yesterday, damaging steel plating.

The Stornoway to Ullapool freight ferry, MV Clipper Ranger, is understood to have lost power as it was birthing in the port.

A spokesman for Calmac said: "The ship's owner has made us aware that the Clipper Ranger sustained damage in Stornoway this morning in a berthing incident, but it would be entirely inappropriate for us to comment.

"We recognise the importance of the freight service to the Western Isles and are planning to bring the MV Hebridean Isles from Islay to maintain the service."