Forestry and Land Scotland staff are currently trying to find out the extent of the damage caused by Friday’s weather.

The sum is the highest among Scotland’s 14 health boards, with nearly £4 million spent on agency nurses over the same period.

Thousands of people have lost access to NHS treatment in recent years as practices either close or go private, with no dentists taking on new NHS patients.

Storm Éowyn is battering the west coast as a rare red weather warning has come into effect in Scotland. The area covered by the high winds alert - which lasts until 17:00 - has been extended to include most of Dumfries and Galloway. It already covered most of the central belt, including Glasgow, Edinburgh and some islands.

Follow here for all updates including traffic disruption and closures as Scotland is battered by winds forecast to gust up to 100 mph with a rare red extreme weather warning issued.

The Met Office issued a red weather warning for Friday as very strong winds are expected to disrupt the country.

Two red weather warnings are in place as winds of up to 100mph are forecast to hit Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Dumfries and Galloway rugby star Stafford McDowall has been named in the Scotland squad for this year’s Guinness Six Nations. The 26-year-old from Dundrennan is part of Gregor Townsend’s 37-man pool for this year’s championship, which begins against Italy at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on February 8.

The Castle Douglas side are now fourth in the third division and have plenty of games in hand over the teams above them.

All trains across Scotland will be suspended, hundreds of schools will close and police have warned people not to travel in the areas affected by a rare red “danger to life” high wind weather warning issued for parts of the country on Friday.

A red danger to life warning for wind has been extended in Scotland where more than 35,000 properties have lost power and people have been urged to stay indoors. Trains have been suspended across the country and hundreds of schools are closed after forecasters predicted wind speeds of up to 100mph.

Remember that whisky is divided into five distinct food groups – Islands, Highlands, Lowlands, Campbeltown and Speyside – each as diverse as their geographical and geological footprints. Equally, all are prone to the muck,