'Off-grid' islanders on Rum appeal for new residents

Residents of Rum hope to attract more people to the Hebridean island.

Four new homes are being built in the village of Kinloch and islanders hope families with young children will be among those renting them.

Rum, one of the Small Isles in the Inner Hebrides, has a population of about 32 and just two children attend its school.

Life on the isle is described as "off-grid" and small hydro-electric schemes provide power.

Steve Robertson, of Isle of Rum Community Trust, said more people were needed to make island life sustainable.

He said: "To grow the community, to give it resilience, to deal with the challenges and issues of running an off-grid community, off-grid water and off-grid hydro-electric, we need more people, we need more kids in the school.

"Everything is stressed by the fact that there is not enough people."

Debby Ingram, headteacher of the island's school, said the two pupils were good friends who enjoy being together.

"But they want more friends and to have that kind of social interaction, so we can play games with more than just two children," she added.