TORIES must act urgently to fix the ATM “cash crisis” hitting rural communities across Scotland, nationalists have warned.

SNP MP Drew Hendry warned this morning that ATM cash machines are closing down at a “rapid rate” across rural areas, leaving many communities and businesses without adequate banking facilities.

The latest figures from Link, Britain’s largest cash machine network, revealed that a further 1,300 ATMs were lost between the end of January and the beginning of July 2018.

“The Tories must now act urgently to tackle the crisis hitting rural communities across Scotland,” Mr Hendry said.

“It is simply not good enough that Tory ministers are refusing to lift a finger when communities are facing mass closures of local ATMs and bank branches.

“In my constituency alone, this summer has already seen locals, tourists and our businesses missing out as remaining cash machines have run out at the start of busy weekends in Aviemore and Grantown-on-Spey.

“Other communities have seen promised mobile van services simply fail to turn up. It is a shambles.”