The increasing cost of repairs has been blamed for one of Scotland's youth hostels having to possibly close for good.

Carbisdale Castle was shut down two years ago, but the BBC has reported that it may not reopen its doors.

The Scottish Youth Hostels Association (SYHA) said the property might not reopen because of the millions of pounds of investment it needs.

The organisation added that it had plans to open new sites elsewhere.

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SYHA Chief Executive, Keith Legge, said: "Carbisdale has been a great challenge for us financially in recent years. We have been very proud to have been running the castle since the last war. 1.5 million guests have stayed there and we are very proud of that record.

"However, maintaining a listed building of that status when it goes wrong presents some very serious challenges. I am afraid to say it won't open for the foreseeable future."

The castle, which overlooks the Kyle of Sutherland, was closed after it suffered frost damage, and £2m had already been spent on repairs.

The castle and its entrance are labelled by Historic Scotland as category B, which means they are both structures of regional importance.

(JP)