Hundreds of people marched into Inverness city centre yesterday as part of a rally against austerity measures.

Politicians, activists and trade union representatives joined around 300 people on the march against the Conservative government’s austerity programme.

The crowd gathered at Bught Park before marching along the River Ness and into the city centre, chanting “no more, austerity sucks” as they went.

The rally was the first of its kind in the Highlands, following on from a number of other marches in major cities across the UK.

It was organised by the Inverness branch of the Radical Independence Campaign.

Organiser Conor Cheyne said: “I’m delighted to see so many people joining us. It shows the strength of feeling there this in the Highlands.

“The message of today to people is that you are not alone in struggling with austerity and we are all in this together.”

Speeches were delivered on Inverness High Street, at the Market Brae Steps.

Recently elected Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey MP Drew Hendry represented the SNP, while other speakers included independent Highlands and islands MSP Jean Urquhart, Isla O’Reilly from the Scottish Greens, Lyndsay Jarrett from Solidarity and Connor Beaton of the Scottish Socialist Party.

Mrs Urquhart told the crowd: “We cannot stand back and watch our public services be demolished brick by brick, job by job.”

She added: “We have to say no, no, no to austerity.”

Speeches were also delivered by trade union representative Lorcan Mullan and Andrew Denovan of the Autism Awareness Group.

People came from all over the Highlands to take part, and some came from even further afield with some travelling from Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Dundee to make their voices heard.

Fiona Cameron travelled from Dulnain Bridge to take part in the march.

She said: “My son has autism and my daughter also has learning difficulties. The cuts they are making are absolutely devastating to families, we can’t carry on like this.”

Noreen Mallia from Kingussie added: “People up here are absolutely sick of cuts, from a government which we didn’t vote for.”