A SUNGLASSES brand created by three friends from the Highlands has secured investment from billionaire businessman, Sir Richard Branson.

The Virgin entrepreneur first became a fan of Scottish start-up, Tens shades, when a friend loaned him a pair while they were visiting his private Caribbean hideaway, Necker Island.

Sir Richard has now committed a "significant" sum to help expand the business, founded in 2014 by friends by Kris Reid, Marty Bell and Tom Welsh.

The sunglasses, which retail at £60-80 per pair, are made with filtered lenses marketed as making real life look "ten times better".

The signature tinted lenses interact with sunlight to enhance and brighten how the wearer sees their surroundings, creating a semi-permanent filter similar to Instagram.

The yellow and orange tones used in the Tens lenses are also said to help lift the wearer's mood.

Normal sunglasses tend to dim the glare from sunlight and make surroundings appear more cold and washed-out.

Mr Reid said: "Richard’s investment will help significantly to elevate Tens to the next level.

"Currently our strongest market is here in the UK, but we see huge potential globally and look forward to this next chapter of growth.

"To think that just two years ago we were hatching a plan in a bedroom in the Scottish highlands, where – quite frankly – the sun rarely shines, it's almost too far fetched to believe. But here we are."

Co-founder, Mr Bell, added: "It’s fantastic Richard has invested in Tens. His spirit of adventure and entrepreneurship is completely aligned with the brand and we are thoroughly delighted to welcome him to the team."

Currently Tens, whose headquarters is based in Glasgow, ships to more than 100 countries worldwide via its online store, but the friends intend to channel Sir Richard's investment into efforts to boost global sales and increase the brand's international profile.

Sir Richard said: “Kris, Marty and Tom have shown tremendous entrepreneurial spirit to get where they are today; they’ve done an amazing job bringing their ambition to life.

"Tens have come in and disrupted the sunglasses market, a tactic I’m all too familiar with. And I love the product, no matter where I am in the world I can stick on a pair of Tens and feel like I’m right back on Necker Island.”

Tens launched with a highly successful Indiegogo campaign that achieved almost £400,000 in pre-orders. The campaign remains one of the most-funded fashion projects on any crowd funding website globally.

Since then, Tens has grown exponentially and garnered a cult-like following on social media.