NHS Highland is planning to close a centre for heart disease rehabilitation by May, it has emerged.

The Highland Heartbeat Centre provides support services and a meeting space for people who have suffered a heart attack or cardiac problem.

It opened in 2005 after a large-scale public fundraising campaign collected donations of £750,000 which were boosted to £1.1m by the British Heart Foundation.

NHS Highland announced late last year that it hopes to use the space at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for other clinical services.

A spokesman for the health board said the closure would happen after alternative arrangements were made for the centre's users.

Campaigners say they fear the move will mean the loss of a meeting space and social facility in favour of community-based care.

Health board executives met members of heart patients' support group Bravehearts on Wednesday to discuss the centre's future.

A spokesman for the board said: "As we have said before the Heartbeat Centre will close but not until alternative arrangements are in place for cardiac rehabilitation.

"We have made a lot of progress to address the various changes required but that work is ongoing. We hope that this will be completed by May.

"Ultimately what we are aiming for is to see many more people supported via the cardiac rehabilitation service than is possible under the current arrangements."

A further meeting with Bravehearts is scheduled to take place on March 15.