A sheriff has upheld a decision to refuse a council's bid to close four primaries in Skye.

Highland Council had voted to close Dunvegan Primary School, Edinbane Primary School, Knockbreck Primary School and Struan Primary School.

The School Closure Review Panel blocked the move to shut the schools last year, a decision which has now been upheld by Sheriff James Tierney at Portree Sheriff Court.

The panel is independent of government and took over the responsibility for handling called-in applications to close schools in 2014.

Parents complained the closures would mean children would have to travel lengthy distances to reach a proposed new school.

In its ruling, the panel said the council had failed to comply with the relevant legislation around consultations on school closures.

It said: "The panel has concluded that Highland Council has not fulfilled its obligations under the 2010 Act.

"In particular, the panel has concluded that it has failed in a significant regard to comply with the requirements imposed on it by (or under) the 2010 Act so far as they are relevant in relation to the proposal.

"Accordingly, the School Closure Review Panel refuses consent."

The local authority had appealed the panel's decision to the court but Sheriff Tierney upheld its ruling.

He said: "The panel has not erred in law and its final disposal ... cannot be faulted. In all the circumstances the appeal fails."