The death of a woman whose body was found in the remains of a north-east castle is not being treated as suspicious.
Emergency services were called to the ruins at Slains Castle near Cruden Bay at around 9.15am on Sunday following reports a woman had been found unconscious there.
Last night police confirmed a 54-year-old woman had been confirmed dead at the scene but said there were no suspicious circumstances.
A police spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that a woman has sadly died at Slains Castle, Cruden Bay.
“Officers along with the Scottish Ambulance Service were called to the grounds of the castle at around 9.15am on Sunday morning following reports that a 54-year-old woman had been found unconscious. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
“The death is being treated as non-suspicious. As with all sudden deaths, a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”
The popular visitor attraction was cordoned off throughout the day on Sunday but it was lifted yesterday allowing walkers and photographers to return.
Slains Castle, which is on Scotland’s Buildings at Risk register, was previously home to the Earls of Erroll, heads of the Clan Hay, before it was sold in 1916.
It is widely regarded as the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s gothic horror novel Dracula.
Current owners, The Slains Partnership, secured outline planning permission in 2007 to turn the castle into a series of holiday homes, despite widespread anger from locals and horror fans, who called for Slains to be preserved as a ruin.
In 2013 planning consent was extended for ten years giving the firm extra time to work on a follow-up bid for full planning consent, however, they could not be contacted for comment last night to provide an update.
More recently a campaign, led by Joe Allan, was launched to save the castle and for it to be given back to the people of Scotland.