More than 100 tyres dumped on shore of Loch Ness near Drumnadrochit

More than 100 used tyres have been found dumped on the shore of Loch Ness.

Members of Ness District Salmon Fishery Board made the discovery on Sunday and believe the tyres were recently dropped from a layby above on the A82 near Drumnadrochit.

Director Brian Shaw told Sky News: "There's 100 at least. I tend to underestimate - there may even be 200."

Mr Shaw said the stretch of road along the famous loch is normally well-maintained and the layby used is a popular spot as it offers scenic views of Urquhart Castle.

He said: "It's absolutely shocking. It is well looked after, and that makes it even more shocking to see tyres discarded like that."

Mr Shaw said the fly-tipping had been reported to Police Scotland and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

Mr Shaw believes the tyres were dumped recently as the surrounding vegetation remains flattened.

He said "a lot of work" must have gone into discarding the tyres and believes more than one person may be involved.

He added: "Somebody must have stopped there in a lorry. I suspect it happened at night when the road was quieter."

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Mr Shaw said the recovery of the tyres from the bottom of the steep slope will be difficult.

He said: "This particular location - it's going to be extremely difficult, even dangerous, to remove these tyres.

"To think that somebody would actually do that in a place like Loch Ness, it's just beyond belief."

Work is under way to establish who owns the land, but in the meantime, Ness District Salmon Fishery Board is aiming to clean the mess up.

Mr Shaw added: "We've been speaking to some people who are trying to organise a clean-up and we've had some indication of support, so hopefully we'll organise that one way or another."