FORMER Green MSP Andy Wightman has missed out on a return to Holryood as an independent - but Douglas Ross has won through.

Both men stood for election in the Highlands and Islands region.

Wightman stood as an independent candidate after leaving his former party in a row related to their diverging positions on equalities reforms.

His was a platform of land reform, affordable housing and environmental action.

He secured 3,367 votes but this was not enough to win a seat.

However, the Greens did take a list seat with 17,729 votes, meaning Ariane Burgess is now heading to Holyrood.

The other successful candidates are four Tories - including party leader Douglas Ross, Edward Mountain, Donald Cameron and Jamie Halcro Johnston - alongside Rhoda Grant of Labour and Emma Roddick of the SNP.

That result is in line with predictions by polling guru Professor Sir John Curtice.

The full break down of the region's votes is as follows: 

ABOLISH THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT PARTY (686)

ALBA PARTY (3,828)

ALL FOR UNITY (1,540)

FREEDOM ALLIANCE- INTEGRITY, SOCIETY, ECONOMY (671)

REFORM UK (547)

RESTORE SCOTLAND (437)

SCOTTISH CONSERVATIVE AND UNIONIST PARTY (60,779)

SCOTTISH FAMILY PARTY (1,976)

SCOTTISH GREEN PARTY (17,729)

SCOTTISH LABOUR PARTY (22,713)

SCOTTISH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS (26,771)

SCOTTISH LIBERTARIAN PARTY (488)

SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY (SNP) (96,433)

SCOTTISH TRADE UNIONIST AND SOCIALIST COALITION (280)

UK INDEPENDENCE PARTY (UKIP) (457)

MANSFIELD, HAZEL (219)

WIGHTMAN, ANDY (3,367)