B974 Cairn O'Mount road closed for four weeks for repairs

The blue line shows the diversion around the bridge in red

A busy rural road in Aberdeenshire is to be closed for about four weeks for emergency repairs after a lorry damaged a bridge.

The B974 Cairn O'Mount collision was on the Spittal Burn Bridge, on the road between Banchory and Fettercairn.

Aberdeenshire Council said the bridge had been deemed unsafe as a result, forcing the repairs.

The lengthy diversion will be over the Slug Road (A957) between Stonehaven and Crathes.

Structures manager Donald MacPherson said: "Sadly, this is not a rare occurrence on our network of historic bridges.

"The need to close this route for such a significant time, clearly an inconvenience to locals and visitors to the area, highlights how important some of our bridges are for the connectivity of the area.

"The drivers of large and heavy vehicles should be aware of the potential for damage to our historic bridges and choose their routes accordingly."