Hector MacKenzie has been appointed editor of the Ross-shire Journal.

He succeeds Caroline Rham, who has stepped down from the role after four years.

He said: "It's great to be involved again with Ross-shire where I grew up and which holds so many happy family memories for me.

"I was born in Dingwall, my dad is from Gairloch and my first few years were spent in Easter Ross so I feel a strong bond with the area.

"Geographically it's a huge and increasingly diverse patch with many unique challenges and a quality of life that is the envy of many."

Hector, (39, pictured), was previously chief reporter at the Highland News, and joined Scottish Provincial Press as a senior reporter with the Wick-based North of Scotland Newspapers.

He worked at the Inverness Courier as a reporter before going on to become chief reporter and then news editor of the title.

He began his career as a trainee on the Aberdeen-based Press and Journal, and also contributed to the Ross-shire Journal during his early career.

Hector also spent three years as a sub-editor on the English-language national China Daily, based in Beijing.

He said: "With a very small reporting team and an excellent network of correspondents, I think the Ross-shire Journal does a great job of serving its community and has earned its status as the county's biggest-selling weekly.

"The Ross-shire has a great team of people behind it and Caroline Rham has done a brilliant job as editor and built the paper into a lively forum that reflects issues that matter to people living here and that offers a perfect platform for grass-roots debate.

"She'll be a tough act to follow but I'll do my best."

Caroline left the Journal after nine years to spend more time with her family. She has also taken up a part-time role as communications manager for the Northern Safety Camera Partnership in Invergordon.