A major investigation has been launched after a man died in a north-east village.
Emergency services were called to a property just outside Cuminestown at about 5am yesterday, where a man was found injured.
He was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, but could not be saved.
Yesterday, police confirmed two men had been arrested in connection with the incident.
Forensics officers in white suits could be seen going in and out of the rural bungalow in Greeness, taking bags into a waiting van.
Officers said their investigation was at an “early stage” but stressed it was an “isolated incident” with no threat to anyone in the area.
They said there would be a “significant police presence” in Cuminestown and nearby Turriff during the course of the inquiry.
Two uniformed officers sat in a police car which was over the driveway of a nearby home also been cordoned off.
Locals said they spotted a lot of police activity in the early hours with a number of cars going back and forth.
Daniel Clark said his mother saw officers as she went out to drop her sons at work.
He said: “My mum saw the police going up and down when she dropped my brothers off at work at 6.30am.
“She thought it was strange for them to be out in the middle of nowhere.”
Another neighbour, who did want to be named, said he immediately knew something was wrong when he spotted all the police cars in the area.
Detective Inspector Gary Winter urged anyone with information to come forward.
He said: “Inquiries are at an early stage and there will be a significant police presence and activity in the Turriff and Cuminestown areas whilst we carry out our investigation into this incident.
“This would appear to have be an isolated incident and there was no wider threat to the local community.”
Anyone with information should call 101.