Barra marathon ferry

Cal Mac is sailing to the rescue of Barra’s threatened round-island marathon race by putting on a special ferry to transport hundreds of strike-bound runners to the event.

Friday's half marathon - which is in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support - is a huge event for the island, filling all B&B rooms with hundreds of mainland competitors.

RMT union members are staging industrial action on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday - two days of work to rule followed by a full strike on Friday.

The uncertainty over timetables and an anticipated backlog of ferry traffic means people were not guaranteed travel to Barra until Sunday.

The MV Clansman will sail from Oban at 0.46am on Saturday, soon after the strike ends to help salvage the popular event.

Organiser Katie Macneil said: “It is not ideal but we are very pleased there is now an option for runners to get to Barra.

“It would be better if there was a Friday sailing but this is better than nothing.”

Cal Mac sails to the rescue of Barra charity race

23 June 2015