Dozens of firefighters battled to save a historic kirk as it was engulfed by a huge blaze.
Onlookers watched in horror as the spire of the 130-year-old West Church at Hatton toppled into the shell of the building in a ball of flames.
The kirk – which was founded by media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s grandparents in 1884 – had lain derelict for several years.
But firefighters on the scene revealed its main power supply was still connected.
No one was injured in the incident, and the cause of the blaze was still being investigated last night.
Aberdeenshire Council has closed the surrounding roads for three days, and local residents now face a diversion via Toll of Birness to drive from one end of Hatton’s Main Street to the other.
At the height of the blaze, more than 35 firefighters from stations at Ellon, Aberdeen and Peterhead were at the scene.
Specialists were brought in to isolate the building from the power grid.
Fire brigade incident commander Bruce Milne said: “I have no information about the cause just yet. There is no reason to believe there was anybody inside just now.
“Our crews faced a well-developed fire and they worked extremely hard in difficult conditions to bring it under control.
“At the height of the incident we had five fire engines, including a height appliance, and support vehicles operating at the scene.
“Sadly the building has sustained significant damage.”
Dozens of villagers gathered at the various police and fire service cordons in the village after the fire was discovered around 7.30am.
Onlookers watched as the flames engulfed the wooden roof supports and shattered the windows.
At 9.57am those gathered at the cordon on Manse Road gasped as the spire toppled.
Then the church bell collapsed through two floors in the tower and landed in the doorway.
Resident Colin Moir said: “A lady I know was married there around 10 years ago, but it was closed before that. I reckon the last service was in 2002.
“It’s a terrible shame – the front of the building was really nice.”
The West Church was put up for sale by the Church of Scotland nearly two years ago with a price of £160,000.
Planning permission was already in place for the demolition of the stone structure and the building of nine houses.
Last night, a Church of Scotland spokesman said: “A former kirk built by Rupert Murdoch’s grandparents in 1884 was damaged by fire this morning.
“The former West Church in Main Street, Hatton, in the Presbytery of Buchan, has been closed for some years following a decision that it was surplus to the Cruden congregation’s requirements. It has been on the market since March 2013.
“Nonetheless, this is an unfortunate event and clearly will be distressing for members of the congregation.”
Engineers have assessed the structure of what remains of the church.