Residents of a Scottish village are over the moon after the multibillion-pound Nasa expedition to Mars put their community on the inter-galactic map.

Residents of Glenelg in Inverness-shire have found fame with the landing of robotic device, Curiosity, to search for life on the Red Planet.

It is preparing to make tracks to another Glenelg, within the planet's huge crater.

Pictures of the mission have been beamed around the world after they were transmitted to Nasa headquarters in the US.

Now the 350-strong Highland community, which has a pub, a community centre, shop and school is hoping to cash in by attracting new visitors.

It even boasts its own rover – the last working turntable ferry in the world which crosses over the sea to Skye.

"The search for life on Mars has put our Glenelg on the map – at least on this planet," said Christopher Main, director of the community interest company that runs the 43-year-old ferry.

"There is plenty of life in Glenelg – they may not find it on Mars but they would here.

"Glenelg had a population of around 4000 before the Clearances. The Vikings were here for 500 years. Life has been found here for centuries."

Mr Main added: "The population has fallen now to about 350 – but it is a very lively community. And we have our own rover – the ferry that roves across the narrows.

"She's doing well – and if the Mars robot lasts as long, they will be delighted.

"But our Glenelg could not be more different to the one on Mars. We have a very wooded, lush and pretty area. We wouldn't swap it for the world – or another world come to that!"

The Mars robot, which landed two weeks ago, has turned its six wheels briefly to satisfy engineers that its locomotion system is in full working order.

Curiosity is a sophisticated mobile science laboratory. It has been built to drive at least 20km across the Martian landscape to investigate if the planet ever had conditions necessary for life.

Wednesday's drive saw the rover roll forward 4.5 metres, turn on the spot 120 degrees, and reverse up 2.5 metres. It took about five minutes to complete the manoeuvre.

Another 10 minutes was spent taking pictures.

The rover is now pointing south-west in the general direction of Mount Sharp, the big mountain at the centre of Mars' equatorial Gale Crater.

Scientists expect to find rocks at the base of the peak that were laid down billions of years ago.

"When we finally get to Glenelg, we want to study the outcrop there and take a look at the contacts between the three different terrain types," said Joy Crisp, a scientist on the mission. "Maybe that is where we'll decide to do our first drilling into rock. And after Glenelg, we head for Mount Sharp. That's going to take several months."