LIFEBOATS were on standby in the Western Isles tonight after thick fog threatened to ground planes taking ballot boxes to the count.

It was feared the plane being used to ferry ballot boxes around the islands might not be able to land at Stornoway - where all the isles' votes will be gathered.

It is the only plane that is being used to carry votes in the whole of Scotland.

Meanwhile, many postal votes were stuck on the mainland this morning as the mail plane - which was due in at Stornoway at 7.20am - could not land because of the fog, before eventually it did at 2pm.

The Western Isles is in the running to be the first of 32 regions in Scotland to declare the local result, looking at a 1.30am announcement

But the blanket of fog lying over the islands earlier today threatened plans to use a chartered plane to fly ballot boxes, containing around 4000 votes from the North and South Uist and Barra to the count centre in Stornoway.

Calmac Ferries and RNLI lifeboats around the islands were put on stand-by if fog left the planes unable to take off and land.

But this afternoon Keith Campbell, managing director of plane company Jet Logic, said he hoped flights would go ahead as planned.

The Britten Norman Islander will come from Oban and land at Benbecula before 9pm and is due to take off with the ballot boxes and an accompanying official at just before midnight. It should arrive in Stornoway about 45 minutes later.

"We are confident we can get the plane into Benbecula - the problem may be Stornoway. But the latest weather forecast suggests that it should be OK," said Mr Campbell from the Edinburgh-based firm.

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Independence referendum: Lifeboats on standby in Western Isles after fog threatens to delay count