THE number of heart transplants carried out on patients in Scotland tripled last year.

There were 24 in 2013, up from eight in 2012, the Scottish Government said.

Public Health Minister Michael Matheson said: "Our work on organ donation and transplantation continues to go from strength to strength, and so it's great to see record levels of people receiving the life-saving transplant they desperately need.

"Of course, none of this would be possible without the generosity of those who have donated their organs."