Plan for temporary road in wake of Aberdeenshire flooding

A temporary road is to be put in place to improve access to and from Braemar in the wake of the severe flooding damage that has hit the area.

Residents have been left isolated, with part of the A93 near Crathie washed away by the flood waters, preventing access from Ballater.

The temporary road is expected to be put in place within the next week.

Aberdeenshire Council chief executive Jim Savege said repairs to Invercauld Bridge should also help ease problems.

Those repairs are expected to be finished within the next fortnight.

Meanwhile, £100,000 has been secured from Scottish Business in the Community (SBC) to try to protect historic Abergeldie Castle, which is at risk of collapsing into the swollen River Dee.

Abergeldie Castle has been left on the brink of collapse

The castle's owners were forced to evacuate the 16th century A-listed tower house on Sunday, after the river swept away about 60ft (18m) of land behind the property, leaving it only a few feet from the water.

The funding has allowed a team to undertake initial work.

Aberdeenshire Council said further financing was an issue for the owner and insurers.

Work is ongoing in Ballater to prepare homes for the last remaining residents who are still staying in a rest centre.

Police Scotland said social media rumours of thefts from flooded properties in Ballater were "completely unfounded".

In Aberdeen, police said they were concerned for a man whose belongings were found washed up beside the flooded River Dee.

Terence Kilbride, 48, is known to go camping in the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire areas and could have a bicycle.

On Monday evening, residents in Inverurie in Aberdeenshire were evacuated from their homes after the River Don burst its banks.

Scotland's flood forecasting service has said river levels were generally falling and the risk of more floods was "reducing".

But the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) warned disruption was likely to continue on the roads.