A 69-year-old woman has been seriously injured after being attacked by three dogs in the Highlands.

Police said emergency services were called to an incident near Invershin in Sutherland. The woman was flown to hospital.

A 76-year-old man had been arrested.

BBC Scotland News understands two of the dogs were registered and legally-owned XL Bullies.

Police Scotland said emergency services were alerted at about 13:40.

A spokesperson said: “Emergency services attended and the 69-year-old woman was taken to hospital by air ambulance with what are described as serious injuries.

“A 76-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection and inquiries are ongoing.”

Witnesses reported a helicopter air ambulance landing on the A836.

Invershin is a small community north of the village of Bonar Bridge.

An XL bully is the largest kind of American bully dog.

The UK government published guidance to help identify XL bullies,, external which are not a specific breed.

They are described as large dogs “with a muscular body and blocky head, suggesting great strength and power”.

Restrictions on owning them came into force in Scotland in February 2024, following the rest of the UK.

The moves followed a number of attacls on people by the breed.

When the Conservative UK government announced the XL bully ban for England and Wales, it said the breed had been “disproportionately involved” in deaths recorded since 2021.

In several cases, XL bullies are known to have killed their owners and children.