A man has died after becoming trapped in an old mineshaft in west Fife.
The 51-year-old was pulled from the works at Charlestown but was pronounced dead at the scene.
Rescuers spent more than three hours at the mines after the rescue attempt was launched when the alarm was raised at around 2.30pm on Saturday.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service dispatched three water rescue teams and Mines Rescue were also involved in the operation.
The Scottish Ambulance Service sent a special operations unit, and local police officers were drafted in.
A police spokeswoman said: “Officers assisted emergency services partners following a report that a man was trapped in a mine near Main Road, Charlestown, Fife around 2.30pm on Saturday, March 14.
“A 51-year-old man was rescued from a mineshaft but pronounced dead at the scene.
“The death is being treated as unexplained.”
Charlestown and the surrounding area has a network of old limestone mines.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “We were alerted at 2.43pm on Saturday, March 14, to reports of a person in the water in Charlestown, Fife.
“Operations Control mobilised two appliances and three water rescue teams to Charlestown mines, where crews assisted their emergency service partners before leaving the scene.”
Emergency services began leaving the scene around 6pm.
