Mortuaries must treat the families of dead people with dignity and respect, a family has said following a "traumatic" experience in the Highlands.

Maryan Whyte said she was left extremely distressed by the state of Spynie Mortuary in Moray, where her husband Frank was taken after he died in a sailing accident earlier this year.

Ms Whyte, from Forres, went to the mortuary with her two daughters to formally identify her partner and said it failed to provide basic comforts such as a room for loved ones to sit and say their goodbyes.

Efforts are under way to improve Spynie Mortuary, which is used by Police Scotland following unexplained or accidental deaths.

However, the Whytes say they do not want other families to experience what they endured.

Ms Whyte said: "To think of my husband being in such a place has left me with such a desolate feeling.

"Families who are suffering in difficult and often tragic circumstances should be shown much more compassion than what we found to be the case in Moray.

"It is vital that at such a difficult time, families should have access to a mortuary that is fit for purpose where families can feel comforted and where the deceased are treated with dignity and respect.

"It seems that, across Scotland, provision is poor and we are calling for the standards of mortuaries across the country to be checked to ensure that they meet the national guidelines, and so that other families do not have to go through the traumatic experience our family went through."

Pam Gowans, chief officer for the Moray Integrated Joint Health Board, said: "Once we were contacted by Mrs Whyte and her daughter we apologised and acted promptly with our partners in the Police Scotland to ensure there would be no repeat of what was clearly a distressing situation.

"Alternative arrangements were put in place locally, so that loved ones are viewed at Dr Gray's Hospital mortuary and we have been in regular contact with the family concerning their experience and the shape of future provision. We are very grateful to the Whyte family for their contribution."

A Police Scotland spokeswoman added: "We are aware of the concerns raised by the Whyte family in relation to facilities at Spynie mortuary.

"Spynie mortuary is managed and run by NHS Grampian, and as a user of the facility we are working in partnership with all stakeholders to ensure suitable mortuary provision is in place for Moray."

Daughter Sharon Robertson, 43, said: "There has to be some action taken as soon as possible to prevent another family going through the added heartache of seeing your loved one in such poor and inadequate surroundings until they can finally go to a funeral directors.

"There must surely be a want and desire to provide a mortuary that has the basic needs - a comforting room where you can sit with your loved one and say your goodbyes, a separate room to conduct any interviews needed or to make statements, and at the very least somewhere to sit and compose yourself, and of course a toilet.

"What we were put through was an appalling disgrace in this day and age."

Following their experience, the family met with local councillors and representatives from Police Scotland and NHS Grampian to voice their distress.

They said they received a positive response and steps are being taken to address relatives' experience of identifying loved ones.

Moray MSP Richard Lochhead said: "It is very clear that Mrs Whyte and her family's experience of the Moray mortuary was very distressing and compounded a very difficult time for them.

"NHS Grampian's recognition of this and decision to stop using the Spynie mortuary for family visits and to make longer-term improvements is welcome.

"Now the Whyte family want to ensure that no other family has to suffer a similar experience in terms of visiting a mortuary that fails to meet the standards of dignity that society would expect.

"I admire their decision to campaign to have all mortuaries across Scotland checked to ensure they meet appropriate standards and I am taking this forward in the Scottish Parliament."