The race is on to save a north-east landmark from crumbling.
The Macduff Burgh Cross – a category B listed building – has overlooked the coastal town since it was first constructed in 1783.
But years of wear at the site on Church Brae have left it unstable and now Aberdeenshire Council is taking action to secure its future.
Last night, a spokeswoman for the local authority said an engineer had been commissioned to remedy the problem as soon as the land movement was discovered.
“Further investigation will need to be carried out to discover what is causing the movement and once this is completed, plans for a permanent scheme will be commissioned,” she added.
The plan, which has not been priced, calls for tensile steel straps to be bolted into place on the structure with a combination of cement mortar and resin anchors.
Macduff councillor Hamish Partridge welcomed the plans.
He said: “It is an important landmark for the town and it would be very disappointing for it to fall into disrepair.
“I have been contacted by a number of residents, so it is good to see that there is now action taking place.”
As the site is a listed building, any material removed from the structure during the works will be retained and returned to the local authority.