Firefighters tackle blaze at former Dumfries convent

Flames could be seen coming from the roof of the building

Firefighters have been tackling a blaze at a landmark building in Dumfries.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) confirmed six engines were sent to the former Benedictine Convent on Corbelly Hill at 19:25 on Tuesday.

One eyewitness captured the moment the spire collapsed as the blaze tore through the abandoned building.

SFRS said that three engines remained at the scene on Wednesday morning as work continued to put out the fire. A number of nearby streets were closed.

There have been no reports of any casualties in the incident.

Residents were advised to shut their windows due to the smoke billowing out from the building at the peak of the "well-developed" fire.

Police Scotland said Maxwell Street, Rosemount Street, Laurieknowe, Church Street, Mill Road and Corberry Avenue had been closed due to the incident.

It is the second time the now-abandoned building has been ablaze, following a major fire in August last year.

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The building - which dates back to 1884 - has been empty for some time and has been a target for vandals.

The cause of the latest blaze has yet to be established.

Several streets around the building were closed off by the emergency services