An Aberdeenshire hotel hit by a suspected gas blast faces demolition after fears the building could collapse.

The explosion left three people injured and caused extensive damage to the Drumtochty Arms Hotel in Auchenblae, near Laurencekirk.

Bar manager Danielle Ormand, a kitchen-fitter, and 22-year-old local man James Guthrie are all now in a stable condition at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. One person had to be rescued from a roof skylight following the explosion on Wednesday evening.

Fire chiefs spent the night conducting a precautionary "search and rescue operation" through a five-foot pile of rubble.

But firefighters were then forced to withdraw amid fears the badly damaged building could collapse. They are now satisfied that everyone has been accounted for.

John McIntosh from Aberdeenshire Council said: "About 75% of the building will be taken down. It's damaged so extensively that there's no hope to recover the building in any way. About 25% will remain and that's the oldest part, the red sandstone building should be saved."

Police said the explosion appeared to be linked to a liquefied petroleum gas cylinder at the back of the hotel, known locally as the Drum. The blast caused the sides of the building at the back of the hotel to collapse.

William Barry, a neighbour living a few doors down from the hotel, described hearing a "great big boom".

He said: "Everybody was standing at their doors to see what was going on.

"I myself felt the house shake but I had no idea what was happening."

A joint inquiry by Grampian Police and Grampian Fire and Rescue Service is now under way.

The hotel had not even been officially re-opened, after a year-long £400,000 refurbishment. Building work is believed to have taken place earlier on Wednesday.

The owner of the hotel, Charles Anderson,  is understood to be flying in from his home in Canada to deal with the situation. Manager Ewan Kilpatrick said they are all "simply gutted" by what has happened.

Meanwhile, there is sadness in the village that the community's only bar has met such a sad end, but relief too that no one lost their life.