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The residents of Great Bernera off Lewis have voted to buy their island.

Some 142 people back the buyout while 37 voted against.

85.2% of adults over 16 years old entitled to vote out of the 230-strong population participated in the ballot on Thursday night.

Islanders voted nearly four to one in favour of taking over the 7,000 acre island estate.

A potential sale on the open market was frozen by the island owners until residents made a decision over a community purchase.

The family of former landlord, Count Robin Mirrlees - who died two years ago - offered first refusal to locals.

If the vote went against a buyout the island would have been advertised for sale.

Tom Macdonald, chairman of the Great Bernera Community Development Trust, said the land was going to be sold whatever happened, risking an unknown owner coming in.

Mr Macdonald said: “I think people came to the conclusion it is better we own the land and take control of the development so they can move at a pace the community is comfortable with.

“If it had gone on the open market, anyone could have bought it and who knows what we would have had here.”

The community is applying to the Scottish Land Fund for financial assistance.

Bernera was the Hebridean island exile home of Count Robin Mirrlees.

He opted out of a flamboyant lifestyle to quietly spend the last half of his life there until he died, aged 87 years, in June 2012.

Large majority back Great Bernera buyout

20 March 2015