Bettyhill Primary is one of the schools without a headteacher

Highland Council has been unable to attract heads to schools in Melvich, Tongue and Bettyhill.

Repeated attempts have been unable to find suitable candidates for the posts.

The council is now attempting to set up a controversial cluster arrangement which would involve the appointment of one head to run all three schools.

However, that post is also having to be re-advertised.

Parents claim not enough is being done to address the staffing crisis.

'Very worrying'

Some fear the authority's failure to appoint staff is designed to save money while others believe more incentives should be offered to prospective candidates.

Concerned parent Anne Nicoll said: "It's very worrying because if we can't attract the right kind of headteacher then we're going to struggle to attract other teachers to the area."

Farr school board's Steve Warner said he got the impression that the council had "some kind of agenda to save money and cut corners".

The council, which has spent �1m on schemes to attract more teachers, said it was doing everything in its power to recruit staff to the north coast, including the offer of housing.