Fish tanks have been banned from a Highland hospital in a bid to cut superbug infections.

Health chiefs at NHS Highland have decided the aquariums posed a risk of passing on infections.

A total of 11 tanks have been removed from Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.

The fish had been introduced as a therapeutic measure, as some experts claimed it could help alleviate stress.

But an NHS Highland spokeswoman confirmed the removal of the tanks in a bid to prevent and control infection.

It was feared people would touch the tanks and this could pass on infections to others.

The spokeswoman added: “The fish have all been re-homed.”

Meanwhile, a Highland firm has designed a new whiteboard – embedded with silver – which they claim is helping cut superbugs in hospitals.

It is also finding favour with food producers and even football coaches, who write on the whiteboards to show players their team tactics.

The Antimicrobial Whiteboard is intended for use in hospitals and other premises where touching surfaces can lead to the spread of E-coli and other bugs.

Gary Campbell, of inventors Environmental Hygiene Products Ltd, said: “It is well known that silver is effective against lots of bugs out there and we discovered that no-one had applied the technology to whiteboards, one of the most commonly touched items in hospitals, schools and other places where lots of different people are present.

“Given the problems that are being highlighted in hospitals across the UK at the moment, we’re seeing a lot of interest as these whiteboards can help with current infection control problems.”

The new whiteboard, which can be mounted on virtually any surface, is coated with a special surface finish which includes silver ions within the finish.

When the ions come into contact with bacteria such as MRSA or E. coli, the silver in the surface coating stops the bugs reproducing, meaning they die off.

Silver has also been used worldwide since Roman times to combat infection.

In the 5th century Cyrus the Great would only let his troops go to war if they carried drinking water in silver vessels as he knew this would keep their water clean.