Traffic was brought to a standstill on a busy Moray road following a two-car accident yesterday.
The A96 Elgin to Inverness road was blocked near Wester Hardmuir for about two hours following the smash.
Ambulances were called to the scene on the trunk route shortly before 3pm following the incident that led to one vehicle crashing into a fence.
The internal machinery of the cars was exposed as the bodywork was ripped off them in the collision.
The force of the impact between those involved also caused air bags to be deployed inside the cars.
The red Ford Focus was crushed and dented at the front.
Meanwhile, the red Toyota Yaris was struck near the rear and came to a rest off the road on grass after striking a fence.
Significant delays were reported by bus companies that use the vital link between Elgin and Inverness and police advised drivers to avoid the area.
After arriving at the scene near Auldearn officers managed traffic while the road was blocked by the stricken vehicles and debris that had been broken off them.
However, about two hours later motorists were moving freely on the road once again while the cars awaited recovery. Police reported the road was reopened at about 5pm.
Initial reports suggested a bus may also have been involved in the incident but last night police said only cars were involved.
A police spokesman said: “Two cars were involved in the incident – both needed to be recovered.
“An ambulance attended just to check on everyone’s condition but further treatment was not required.”