An Orkney service station is to undergo a major upgrade with the support of substantial funding from the Scottish Executive.

John G Shearer and Sons is the first road fuel outlet in Kirkwall to benefit from financial support under the Scottish Executive's Rural Petrol Station Grant Scheme (RPSGS).

In the past, only filling stations in more rural communities qualified for RPSGS funding.  But after a change to the rules governing the initiative, John G Shearer and Sons have been successful in securing £74,650 in support from the scheme.

It means that the firm's Ayre Service Station can now be expanded and extensively refurbished at a total cost of almost £150,000. Once the upgrade is complete, it will be offering a 24-hour fill-up service.

HIE Orkney development manager Harvey Stevenson said: "We administer the scheme on behalf of the Scottish Executive and it's good that the funding will help a local business in its drive to provide modern, user-friendly facilities for customers.

"The scheme has provided important support for a number of small rural filling stations in the past, but this is the first big filling station upgrade in Orkney to benefit under the RPSGS initiative."

The firm currently provides three pumps at the Ayre Service Station. Under its plans, the forecourt will be enlarged and four four-hose pumps put in place.

"We're creating a four-lane, drive-through filling station," said director Jackie Shearer. "We couldn't have done this without the funding and it means we'll be able to offer a far better service to our customers."

John G Shearer and Sons provided a 24-hour service in the 1970s after installing a coin operated pump.

As part of the upgrade it plans to install the modern equivalent - a state-of-the-art credit-card pump drivers can use at any time of the day or night.