Some areas have a high proportion of second homes

Experts from government body agency Communities Scotland discovered that in some places an eighth of all housing was given over to second homes.

Growing fears have been voiced that local people cannot find affordable housing, either to buy or rent.

Highland region, with more than 6,000, has the most second homes.

'Policy switch'

It is followed by Argyll and Bute, which hosts more than 5,000 second and holiday homes.

Communities Scotland said that until recently there has been little government intervention in the rural housing market, but across the UK the policy is changing.

The agency's researchers - who stressed that holiday homes were not the only factor pushing up property prices - were in Edinburgh on Tuesday for a conference studying the role of the private sector in rural housing.