A 38-year-old motorcyclist was killed in a crash on a busy north-east road last night.
His Triumph machine and a people carrier collided on the A92 Stonehaven-Montrose route just north of St Cyrus.
Police, the ambulance service and three fire appliances from Inverbervie, Laurencekirk and Montrose were called to the accident.
A biker was pronounced dead at the scene.
The 57-year-old driver of the red Seat Alhambra involved in the crash was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee with serious injuries.
The road was closed in both directions for several hours and diversions were put in place.
A police spokesman said last night that the dead man’s family had been told about the tragedy.
He added: “Police responded to reports of an accident north of St Cyrus at around 7pm.
“Following a two-vehicle collision, a male motorcyclist suffered fatal injuries.
“An ambulance service paramedic pronounced the man dead at the scene and the other driver was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.”
Meanwhile, two drivers escaped serious injury when their cars collided on a winding country road in Aberdeenshire.
A blue Nissan Almera and a red Subaru Outback were left wrecked following the crash on the B9077 Aberdeen-Banchory route at North Tilbouries, Maryculter.
Police and the ambulance service both attended the accident, which happened around 10am.
The motorists were treated for minor injuries at the scene but it is understood no one needed to go to hospital.
The accident left the bonnet of the Subaru caved in and pieces of the Nissan strewn across the road. The windscreens of both vehicles were shattered.
The B9077 was shut for almost two hours from Drumoak’s Park crossroads to the B979 Maryculter-Stonehaven road junction following the incident.
The unclassified road between Drumoak and Durris was also blocked at Park Bridge.
A police spokesman said the closures were necessary as both vehicles had been left “immovable”.
He added: “There was no serious injury but the road was closed purely because the cars were blocking both lanes.”
The area had been affected by downpours all morning.
Both cars were recovered and the road reopened by 11.30am.
Police have urged anyone with information on either accident to contact them on 101.