A petrol station at a remote tourist spot in Scotland is thought to be selling fuel at the highest price ever recorded in Scotland.

The price of a litre of diesel in Strontian, close to Fort William, has risen to £1.60-a-litre.

The price rise has renewed calls for a shake-up in the way fuel is charged across Britain, with demands for the fuel duty discount to be extended from the islands to the rural mainland.

The AA confirmed that the filling station, supplied by Highlands Fuel, was "probably" the most expensive on mainland Scotland, and 13p above the national average.

A spokesman dismissed any suggestions of profiteering, saying: "Yes, it is a high price. But we would rather see fuel available at a price in rural areas, rather than no fuel at all.

"Too many remote communities are without easy access to petrol or diesel, because very often these garages have to pay up front and can't carry as much stock as others which are more frequented.

"Motorists want fuel where they want it, when they want it, at an economic price. But it's not as simple as that.

"We would like to see the fuel duty discount being applied to other remote areas of the mainland as a first step. Keeping filling stations open is vitally important."

Lochaber MP Charles Kennedy has backed calls to extend discounts.

He said: "Fuel prices are a huge issue in rural Highlands. The sooner we can extend the trial duty cuts across the Highlands the better."