A BID has been made to buy a Royal Navy frigate so it can be sunk off the west coast to become Scotland's first artificial reef.

The Sound of Mull Artificial Reef Steering Group wants HMS Campbeltown, a Type 22 frigate which was decommissioned in April 2011 and is currently lying in Portsmouth, to become a focus for marine life and leisure diving in the seabed below the Sound of Mull.

Those behind the project say it will benefit divers, the marine environment and the economy.

The steering group, which has submitted a bid for the vessel, wants to clean it before sinking it. Under the plans, it will become a significant marine tourism project, which should secure local businesses in some of the most remote communities in the land. If successful it is forecast to create 10 to 16 new jobs and generate £500,000-£750,000 net economic impact every year for the local economy.

But the spin-off to other commercial enterprises would increase its value greatly, according to those behind the bid.

The US, Canada, the Caymans and Australia already have such reefs, and a former frigate, HMS Scylla, was sunk off Devon to create Europe's first in 2004.

It has been highly successful in boosting the diversity of marine life and the local economy.

Annabel Lawrence, of the Lochaline Dive Centre which is on the shores of the Sound of Mull, is the project manager of the Sound of Mull bid.

Last year Mrs Lawrence entertained the Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward, at Lochaline and outlined her vision.

She said: "There are 22 artificial reef projects of this kind across the world, but this would be the first in Scotland and only the second in the UK.

"The other British site is at Plymouth, and in under 10 years there have been 42,000 dives to HMS Scylla.

"This has brought £25 million into the local economy and the reef has already cultivated over 260 marine species."

She said similar success could be achieved in the Sound of Mull.