Cemeteries across the county of Caithness have been given a much-needed facelift thanks to the efforts of a hardy group of volunteers.
Elected members were this week given an outline of the work that has been carried out across a number of graveyards over the past three years.
And Councillor Raymond Bremnar was moved to describe the transformation as “unbelievable”, particularly at cemeteries at Latheron and Wick.
He said: “There is a lot of work yet to be done but the majority of the hard graft that the Highland Council would never have got round to has now been undertaken in a number of the cemeteries on the east coast of Caithness.
“It was a great and humbling opportunity for my colleague councillor Willie MacKay and I to showcase the work of the cemetery volunteers over the past three years at the council’s communities and places committee.
“Volunteers try to attend our cemeteries in east Caithness as often as possible and over a period of time the transformation has been unbelievable.”
The committee heard the Caithness community had pulled together over many months to bring the project to fruition.
Calling upon the “goodwill of many people” it has been able to transform the resting places of generations of loved ones.
Those behind the work have also been fortunate to be able to call upon the help of volunteer contractors, while there have been donations of tonnes of aggregate and materials from local companies.
Mr Bremnar added: “The effort continues but a lot of the back-breaking work has been completed.
“The fact that it is now about simple maintenance makes it much easier for volunteers to complement the work of the council.”
Mr Bremnar said the project had turned into a great collaboration between community and the council, adding: “It was entirely appropriate that the council recognised this at the highest level.
“So many members were very obviously impressed and the presentation with discussion and debate continued for well over an hour.
“It has been a huge privilege to be a part of what has been achieved and it has been amazing watching our communities come together to transform these very special places.”