... And probably the prettiest place to land your private plane

BARRA's unique beach airstrip has topped a list of the world's ten favourite scenic airport landings.

The island has outdone airports in Gibraltar, the Maldives and New Zealand in the poll run by jet hire booking network, PrivateFly.com.

More than 1,000 travellers and pilots drew up a list of their most inspirational landings, with Barra receiving more than 22 per cent of the vote.

Michael Galbraith, station manager for Barra airport, said: "To be voted number one is a wonderful accolade for Barra Airport.

"When arriving at Barra Airport, the landing on the beach is certainly one of the most unusual. When competing against large-scale airports, it goes to show that when it comes to a stunning landing, small can definitely be more beautiful."

One Barra fan commented in the poll: "Beautiful scenery and it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to land on a beach".