Terminally-ill author Iain Banks has treated himself to a luxury sports car so he can indulge his love of driving in the Scottish Highlands.

The Wasp Factory writer, who announced last month (Apr13) that he has gall bladder cancer and has been given less than a year to live, sold his fleet of sports cars in 2007 to cut his carbon footprint.

Now he has purchased a $116,000 (£75,000) Bmw M5 V10 to satisfy his passion for motoring as he battles illness.

The Scottish author, 59, writes, "In the light of my recent bad news, I decided that - as it looked like I was going to be saving on the next 20 to 30 years of personal carbon output - I could indulge myself a bit.

"I am back to scudding round the Highland roads again with a big grin on my fizzog (face) - well, where I can grin, and the acceleration/braking force isn't distorting my face like somebody taking part in an early NASA rocket sled experiment."

Banks also told fans he is prepared to undergo a course of chemotherapy to ease his illness but will quit if it becomes too debilitating.