Giant wind turbine to be demolished by explosion

The 177m-high turbine was used a test facility for offshore wind farms

A giant wind turbine at Hunterston in Ayrshire is to be blown up in a controlled explosion.

The 177m-high (580ft) turbine had been used as a test site for offshore wind farms such as the massive Beatrice field in the Outer Moray Firth.

The other turbine on the Hunterston site was dismantled by a crane last year.

But operators SSE Renewables said no safe method of dismantling was possible in this case.

It had intended to carry out a controlled felling on Thursday next week but that has been put back to 26 September and will be dependent on the weather.

The National Offshore Wind Turbine Test facility at Hunterston was established in 2012.

The 193.5m-high Mitsubishi 7MW Sea Angel turbine was decommissioned last year.

The 6MW Siemens offshore wind turbine will now also be demolished.

SSE said the test site had been instrumental in securing Scotland's place as an international leader in offshore wind energy research and development.

Once the site is cleared it will be handed back to landowner Peel Ports.