The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has put plans to build a new £60m  prison on hold to asses an alternative location.

Residents near the Milton of Leys site in Inverness have said the proposed HMP Inverness is too close to a local primary school.

The prison would replace the ageing HMP Inverness, which is 112 years old.

On Monday, SPS said the planning consultation process was being "paused" to see if an alternative location was available.

A spokesman said: "SPS will progress an assessment of an alternative option which has been brought forward by the Milton of Leys site owner and which had not previously been available as a potential prison site.

"However, the full assessment of this site is not yet commenced and should this option not subsequently prove viable, SPS have a commitment to progress the planning application on the Milton of Leys site"

It is though the assessment will take between four and six months.