Dave Thompson MSP

A group of campaigners fighting the threat of a reduction in services at the Highland Rheumatology Unit in Dingwall travelled to Holyrood on Thursday to present a petition of more than 6,000 signatures to Nicola Sturgeon, the health secretary.

The meeting had been arranged by Highlands and Islands Dave Thompson, a key supporter of the facility, and he was concerned when he heard that severe weather meant the group would be unable to return home on Thursday evening.

Advance warning of severe wintry weather had meant some in the Friends of Highland Rheumatology Unit group were nervous about travelling to Edinburgh to present their petition to the health minister until someone pointed out; "One thing we know is that the grandchildren aren't going to ask us to tell the story again about the day we didn't go to parliament in Edinburgh."

Spurred on by this, the group decided to travel by train on Thursday morning despite the worsening weather and they met Ms Sturgeon in her office at Holyrood.

However it later emerged that trains north had been cancelled because of the heavy snowfalls and no road alternative was available as roads to the Highlands were also closed.

When he heard that the group was to be stranded in Edinburgh overnight, Mr Thompson decided to arrange accommodation for his visitors at a city hotel and to pick up the bill himself.

Instead of charging this against his expenses, the SNP politician decided to pay their bill from his own pocket.