There was drama in a Moray village on Sunday morning when fire crews from around the north were called to a blaze at a stone cottage.
The occupants at the property in Findhorn was not at home when the blaze was reported at around 7.30am on Sunday morning, prompting fire crews from Forres and Elgin to attend the scene as well as a tender called in from Inverness.
Extensive damage was caused to the roof of the building which was understood to have seen extensive renovation work which was almost at an end.
A spokesman for the Scottish Fire Service said: “We received a call out shortly after 7.30am and two crews, one from Elgin and the other from Forres, went to the scene.
“On arrival they requested the attendance of a third appliance from Elgin.” The spokesman added that a height vehicle was then called in from Inverness to allow fire fighters to tackle the roof which was ablaze.
Traffic through Findhorn was badly affected as the narrow road at the entrance to the village on which the cottage stands was blocked for some hours. Vehicles were diverted via a nearby car park until the road was cleared at around 1pm.