A dramatic rescue in Perthshire saw seven people pulled to safety as flood waters threatened to sweep them away.
Their Land Rover became stuck in a fast-flowing burn as they enjoyed an adventure day out in Crieff on Saturday.
A group of family and friends had been taking part in a 4×4 driving experience at the Crieff Hydro’s off-road track when they attempted to cross a ford on Shaggie Burn.
Their vehicle was swept off the track and into the burn, which was in spate due to heavy overnight rain, leaving the Land Rover facing downstream.
With the occupants including two members of staff trapped and fearing for their lives, emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 11.30am.
The first fire crews from Crieff arrived within 15 minutes and soon discovered urgent action was required as the force of the water was still moving the vehicle.
Rescuers contacted the trapped party and secured the vehicle using ropes. Crews from Perth fire station with special training in swift water rescue were mobilised, along with paramedics from Crieff and the Scottish Ambulance Service’s Special Operations Response Team from Newcraighall in Edinburgh.
After securing the vehicle and passing life jackets to the occupants, a firefighter made her way to the Land Rover. She was then able to remove the windscreen to give the occupants an escape route.
The seven were then helped to crawl along the ladder as the water rushed around them, all the time secured to ropes by firefighters waiting on the embankment.
They were checked over by paramedics, but had only minor cuts and bruises.
Tayside Fire and Rescue’s incident commander Neil Kerr said, “This incident highlights the dangers associated with water sports and related activities as levels were noticed to have risen to the window level of the vehicle suddenly and dropped again over a short period of time.”