Archaeology charity say new Caithness Broch would provide economic boost for county

It's hoped the re-creation of an ancient drystone structure would provide a boost to the far north economy.

The Caithness Broch Project have released design images of what they expect the 60 foot tower to look like.

They're hoping to have a site chosen for the structure by the end of this year, and will then begin the process of raising funds to turn their dream into a reality.

It would be the first Broch to be built in 2,000 years.

Only found in Scotland, they were once common features in the Iron Age landscape across the Highlands and Islands.

The group say recreating one would provide a "thriving visitor attraction" for the county.

Caithness Broch Project Co-Founder and Director Iain Maclean said: "We wanted to capture a variety of features found in Broch construction from all over Scotland.

"The design isn't a carbon copy of any individual Broch but instead is a kind of chimera of elements chosen for a number of reasons, ranging from structural robustness, health and safety, or purely because they were interesting. features".

Caithness Broch Project Director Kenneth McElroy added: "We want to promote traditional skills.

"Skills which have been so close to the history of Caithness, such as dry-stone dyking and working with flagstone, ensuring that these skills aren't lost in the next generation or so.

"Dounreay is being de-commissioned now and so Caithness ought to consider what it's doing afterwards, how's it going to become a sustainable and successful county. "We think that they heritage tourism that the past of Caithness can help prop up the future."