A Moray landmark with a violent past has become a virtual war zone.
Elgin cathedral was torched by the Wolf of Badenoch 600 years ago.
And now dozens of Pokemon Go gamesters are using the ancient ruins as a venue to do battle.
Fans of the mobile phone game have been meeting up to pit their characters against each other while trying to take control of the cathedral, which is known in the game as a “gym”.
The craze is bringing new visitors to the Elgin landmark that would not ordinarily visit.
Sarah Takahashi, 25, said: “I might have gone there once in a while but since Pokemon Go started I’ve been going to it more.
“The Biblical Gardens and the bishop’s house are popular too. Everyone is constantly battling away there. They’re always busy, day and night. I’ve been out at all times of the day from 3pm to 3am.”
Gyms are locations where Pokemon teams meet to do battle after collecting the characters. Smoke comes from the colourful creatures as they clash in game but the virtual flames are harmless compared to the Wolf of Badenoch’s attack.
Lady hill in Elgin, Lossiemouth beach and Grant Park in Forres have also seen an upturn in visitors since the launch of the game.
Lossiemouth resident Andrew French has seen hundreds of Pokemon hunters log onto his website, which is dedicated to the game in Moray.
He said: “It’s getting people out to places they might not normally go to. The points are randomly generated but local points of interest are usually Pokestops and gyms are usually based near churches.”
Historic Environment Scotland has welcomed the extra visitors brought to the 13th century ruins in Elgin by the game.
A spokesman said: “An upside of the huge popularity of this game is that it is potentially bringing the cathedral to the attention of an audience who might otherwise never visit – even if they do come primarily to catch Pokemon.
“Whilst there, we hope they enjoy one of Scotland’s most beautiful medieval cathedrals.”
