A motorcyclist has died in a fireball crash on a notorious Aberdeenshire road.
The fatality was the second involving bikers in the north-east in the space of just three days.
The accident involving a van and a motorcycle happened on the A980 Torphins-Raemoir route, just east of Campfield Filling Station at Glassel.
The van and the bike were both ablaze when firefighters arrived at the scene.
It is thought the biker who died was a man.
Police and ambulance crews were also called and the road was closed between the Raemoir House Hotel and Torphins.
Last night, there were fresh calls from locals for new safety measures on the A980 following a series of fatal and serious accidents over the years.
A fires service spokeswoman said two units from Banchory had been sent to the scene.
She added: “On arrival we extinguished the fire. Both the van and the bike were on fire. There was a casualty. The call came in at 2.40pm.”
Nine firefighters used a hose reel jet, two breathing apparatus, airbags and thermal imaging cameras.
Owner of the nearby Campfield Filling Station, Peter Gray, said: “We have been in business there for 52 years and there has been quite a few accidents on that stretch of road and beyond.
“I suppose it is the volume of traffic and things like that. I wish it would all stop to be honest with you.
“It is a busy road. It would be nice if there was traffic calming measures of some kind for that stretch of the road.
“We don’t have a (reduced) speed limit just now. I have got 350 to 400 cars coming past our filling station.”
Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside SNP councillor Geva Blackett said: “Yet again we have another tragic accident on our roads.
“This particular stretch of road is notorious for accidents and when the facts become known I think we need to see if there is anything we can do to make the road safe.
“There has been accident after accident after accident on that stretch. It is just tragic. It is just terrible, my heart goes out to the family and friends involved.”
On Sunday afternoon, Motorcyclist Michael Reid, from the Peterhead area, died following a collision on the A98 Banff-Portsoy road.
In August 2014, a man and woman died on the A980 near Glassel when their Land Rover was involved in a collision.
