FROM the beaches of Barra to the rugged landscape of Lewis, residents in the Outer Hebrides already enjoy living in one of the most beautiful parts of the country.

And just days after a survey found residents there are the happiest people in Britain, a new report has found that nearly half of young islanders want to stay in the area permanently.

Research commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has revealed nearly four in 10 of the 457 young people surveyed said they want to live in their local area in five years' time, rising to 48 per cent at the age of 35.

The desire to live locally is particularly high among those from Uist and Barra - even in those seeking to initially leave to access higher education. Two in every three want to live there at 35 years of age.

The report set out to identify the reasons why 15 to 30-year-olds leave the area and the data will be used to develop policies that will help counteract out-migration of young people from the islands, which have suffered massive depopulation over the years.

Rachel Mackenzie, HIE area manager in the Outer Hebrides, said: "There is clearly a strong aspiration in young people in the Outer Hebrides to live locally but there are also barriers to living, learning and working here."

He said superfast digital access, more community ownership and developments such as the £10 million Lochboisdale harbour project would help make the area more attractive to young people.