On Clydeside a troubled shipyard was "forced into administration" by the Scottish Government without giving the private sector time to save it, a dossier compiled by its former owner has claimed.

Ferguson Marine, the last yard in Scotland still handling non-defence orders, was nationalised by Holyrood ministers late last year after a contract to build two new ferries was beset by massive delays and cost overruns.

Jim McColl, the Monaco-based billionaire who took charge of the shipyard in 2014 through his Clyde Blowers company, has been critical of how the Scottish Government has handled the debacle.

A dossier, compiled by a QC on McColl's behalf, has now claimed Nicola Sturgeon's failure to mediate between Fergusons bosses and government quango Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) led to the yard's collapse and left taxpayers picking up the bill.

For more on the story HERE reports The Scotsman on the duel-fuel ferries destined for Isle of Arran and Uig Triangle services.