A vacancy for a lighthouse keeper at the most north-westerly point in Britain has come up - described as a 'dream job'.

The Northern Lighthouse Board is seeking a retained lighthouse keeper to make regular checks on Cape Wrath and Stoer Head lighthouses in northwest Sutherland.

Cape Wrath was built by Robert Stevenson, son of George, a famous Victorian engineer,  and became automated in 1998, one of the last in Scotland to be modernised.

Lighthouses have to be visited around once a month to ensure equipment is working correctly and to report any weather damage.

Up to 60 applications are expected for the position, with such posts only coming up every five to ten years.

Barry Miller, 74, looks after seven lighthouses including Ailsa Craig, Turnberry and Mull of Galloway.

READ MORE: Watchdog 'deeply concerned' by Shetland council's financial mismanagement

He visits his mainland lighthouses alone but keeps in touch with the board’s headquarters in Edinburgh who monitor his movements, while he also carries a personal locator beacon but is accompanied to the offshore lighthouses by boatmen.

Barry, a former secondary school biology teacher, said “It’s been close to a dream job.

"You hear all sorts of howls and screams from the wind. It’s very atmospheric.

"I was instantly attracted when I saw it advertised – I thought it looked so interesting, and I’m also interested in the historic aspects.

"People think lighthouses now operate all on their own but we have to do various checks to ensure everything is working properly.”

Damage that he has encountered has included a bank of solar panels being blown off at Ailsa Craig.

Barry, who has been a retained keeper for 20 years, said he loved visiting the lighthouses best “in a howling gale”.

The two lighthouses’ last retained keeper retired five years ago and they have since been covered temporarily by another retained keeper.

Tam Cairns, the board’s delivery and planning manager, said: “Our retained lightkeepers are employed to check on the lights that are relatively easy to access, every four to six weeks, with duties including lens cleaning and upkeep of the station.

"They are our eyes and ears, and the first line of defence should there be an issue which they will report or escalate as necessary.

"There isn’t a specific ‘type’ of person who fills the role and it really varies.

"We have people who are retired, employed and self-employed such as former lighthouse keepers, fishermen, Outward Bound activity Instructors, engineers, nurses, plasterers and former board technicians and contractors.

"It’s useful if the person has a technical background, but not essential.

“They will receive training from the senior technician as well as health and safety training, and personal survival training for boat access.”