A tiny Hebridean island which faced being cut off from mainland Scotland this summer due to its popularity with tourists has won its battle for more flights.

The influx of tourists to Tiree in recent years had made seats on the one flight a day to and from Glasgow so scarce during the peak summer months that islanders had feared virtual isolation.

Transport Minister Derek Mackay has announced that from July there would be an extra flight to and from Tiree on weekdays.

He said it would bolster the island's tourist industry and would provide extra capacity for residents who had to leave the island at short notice.

Tiree Community Council vice convener John MacAskill said: "We are delighted that the minister and his colleagues have reacted swiftly and positively to our worries.

These enhancements to the air service between Glasgow and Tiree will provide a welcome economic boost and badly needed additional passenger capacity on what had become an overstretched air service."

Last summer, Tiree hosted 25,000 visitors. It boasts pristine beaches and is a destination for leading windsurfers and surfers from around the world.