Fire crews have extinguished a blaze in a derelict church in Angus.
Firefighters were called to the blaze in the former Maison Dieu Church of Scotland building on Witchden Road in Brechin shortly before 3pm on Wednesday.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) spokesperson said six appliances were dispatched, along with two special vehicles.
Firefighters spent about eight hours tackling the blaze and SFRS confirmed that the fire was extinguished by 10.50pm.
One appliance remains at the scene.
Eyewitness Norman Davidson told STV News: “It’s obviously worry for more of the buildings around about, I’m lucky I’m at the top of the street, so I was far enough away from it.
“But obviously, concerns for the local neighbours and stuff, we’d already suffered quite a bad flooding last year and the place has been quite hard hit with that.
“It’s just a shame in an old, old building as well. It’s been there for many years, I believe it was under construction so, it’s a shame to see it getting, fall into ruin in this state.”
In dramatic footage of the blaze posted on social media, flames are clearly visible through windows and breaking through the roof, with grey smoke pouring into the sky above the building.
The SFRS spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 2.49pm on Wednesday March 5 to reports of a fire within a derelict building in Brechin.
“Operations Control mobilised six appliances to the town’s Witchden Road, where firefighters remain working to extinguish the fire.
“We’ve since had a stop message in and we have only one appliance in attendance now.”
Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service have been contacted for comment.
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