Work to secure a cliff which threatened to give way over an Aberdeenshire coastal village is due to get underway on Friday.

Residents of Pennan, which lies between Fraserburgh and Banff, were put on evacuation alert last week following days of heavy rain.

A 25m crack appeared in overhanging cliffs, leading to fears of mudslides which could block the only access road in and out of the village.

Engineers had originally suggested removing the affected area of the cliff but are now planning to safeguard it by driving in 100 10m-long soil nails.

Wire mesh will also be used to make stable the rocks as part of the £125,000 project which is set to take weeks to complete.

Access in and out of the village will be maintained during the course of work, removing the need for any householders to find alternative accommodation.

In August 2007 residents were forced to flee their homes after massive mudslides swamped houses.

The village was made famous when it was used as the location for 1983 Burt Lancaster film Local Hero.