A young craftsman has set up a business that should ensure the traditional craft of Orkney chair making is in safe hands for at least another generation.

At the age of just 19, Fraser Anderson has mastered the skills involved in creating the distinctive straw-backed chairs and set up Orkney Hand Crafted Furniture.

Each chair is made by hand - a process that takes two-and-a-half weeks of work - and Fraser hopes each will become an instant heirloom for customers throughout the world.

The Kirkwall teenager decided to go it alone as a professional furniture maker after serving his chair making apprenticeship working alongside an established craftsman.

He believed there was a real danger that a craft dating back hundreds of years could have died out and is delighted to have the chance to carry on the tradition.

Fraser's efforts are being supported by Orkney Enterprise, with a grant of £1,700 towards the costs of tools and equipment.  He also qualified for business start-up assistance that provides a monthly "wage" of £200 for 10 months as he works to establish his new venture.

"It's encouraging that he's setting up on his own after learning the skills involved in Orkney chair making at such a young age," said Harvey Stevenson, development manager with the local enterprise company.

"His portfolio of the furniture he's already created shows just how talented he is.

"It's commendable that he has the confidence to run his own business - and we're pleased we can provide financial assistance to help him become established in his own right."

Fraser has nurtured an ambition to become a maker of fine furniture for as long as he can remember.

"I've always loved creating things from wood," he said. "I enjoy the challenge of making an Orkney chair from scratch - and it is a challenge when you consider there are 22 hand crafted joints in each frame."

The back of each chair is made from three sheaves of white oats, a traditional crop specially grown on a handful of Orkney farms for craftsmen like Fraser.  Each piece of straw is individually prepared before being woven by hand into a continuous rope.

It is a painstaking task, requiring patience, strength and dexterity, but the end result is a chair back that is both attractive and comfortable.

Fraser said the islands' remaining professional chair makers were considerably older than him, with few younger people showing an interest in carrying on the craft.

"No one can say for definite how far back this tradition goes, but Orkney chairs have been made for hundreds of years," he said.

"If no young people had become involved, there was a danger that this tradition could have died out.

"Hopefully, I'm helping to make sure that won't happen. It's very satisfying and very exciting to be starting a business that involves making chairs and other fine furniture."

Fraser said the backing from Orkney Enterprise would be invaluable in helping him put his new venture on a sound footing.

"I'm young, I'm starting out with virtually nothing, so it's very helpful to be supported like this," he added.

He recently gained a SVQ level II qualification in hand crafted furniture making after studying part time at Orkney College.

Now he is hard at work making chairs and other furniture for his first major exhibition, Scotland's International Trade Fair, which opens in Glasgow in January.