A councillor yesterday urged tourists to observe warnings on the danger posed by Highland cattle and take care when trying to photograph them in the wild, particularly when they are with calves.

Speaking of recent publicity surrounding the breed, Bill Fulton, Highland councillor for Kyle and Sleat, said yesterday there had been reports of cattle roaming through Plockton in Wester Ross.

He also said that some had escaped from fields ringed by five ft fences the National Trust for Scotland had erected.

Mr Fulton said: ''There was one particularly athletic cow which was causing problems in Plockton, but I haven't heard of anything recently.

''There is, however, another problem . . . tourists putting themselves in danger trying to photograph them.

''I have often seen tourists doing things which caused concern, but I recently came across a particularly worrying example.

''On the road just outside Duirinish, on the road to Plockton, I found a lady tourist from the Far East standing six feet from a Highland cow and her calf at the roadside.

''The tourist was flashing away taking a photographs. There are huge notices up saying to beware of these cattle, which roam free.

''I stopped and said she should be careful when a cow has a calf, and that she could be attacked. But she didn't seem to take me seriously at all.

''It not just her safety that was an issue. My understanding is that if something happened it would be the owners' liability. A bit of common sense is all that is required.''