A Highland road was brought to a standstill yesterday lunchtime after a four-vehicle collision.
Three cars and a lorry were involved in the incident on the most northern stretch of the A9, near to Halkirk in Caithness.
Three people were injured in the collision.
A police spokesman confirmed an initial call was received at 11.53am with a road closure required to allow emergency services to attend the incident.
Police were joined on scene by four fire crews, two hailing from Thurso and a further two from Wick, as personnel from the Scottish Ambulance Service were also paged to assist at the scene.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said: “We received a call at 11.57am and sent four pumps to the incident.
“All persons have now been recovered from the vehicles and are in the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service.”
Fire crews were seen using hydraulic cutting equipment, with the spokeswoman confirming crews used the equipment to remove the doors and roof from one of the vehicles.
It is understood one man and one woman, were taken to hospital with a third person treated on scene for their injuries.
A blue BMW 1 series, a green Ford Kuga and a maroon Toyota Starlet were involved in the collision as a diversion was put in place through surrounding side roads, with the main diversion running through the village of Halkirk.
A Scottish Ambulance Service Spokesman said: “We received a call at 1156 hours on Monday 16 July to attend a road traffic collision on the A9 near Halkirk in Caithness.
“We dispatched three ambulances to the scene and two patients were taken to Caithness General Hospital.”
The road, the main route from Caithness through Inverness to Perth, was closed for just over three hours before reopening shortly after 3pm.
Meanwhile, on Skye police and ambulance personnel attended to an incident in Elgol after reports of a car down an embankment had been received.
A police spokeswoman confirmed initial reports of persons trapped within the vehicle had been received; however, upon arrival the persons had freed themselves from the vehicle.
No major injuries were sustained.
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We received a call at 1324 hours on Monday 16 July to attend an incident in Elgol on the Isle of Skye.
“We dispatched one ambulance and all three patients were checked over and treated on scene by paramedics.
