Work crews have dismantled part of a historic Moray port in order to protect it from further collapses.
A gaping hole was left in the harbour wall in Cullen after the stonework crashed into the sea.
Months of being battered by tides had caused part of the structure to be scooped into the Moray Firth, leaving the pier undermined.
Yesterday, crews from Wick-based Lochshell Engineering worked through the night on the coast to take advantage of low tides.
Engineers carefully dismantled the parapet while rock armour was later placed on the outside of the pier this week to protect it from the ravages of the water.
Stonework that has been able to be preserved from the harbour wall, which was built in the 19th century, will be kept in storage while rebuilding options are considered.
However, it is feared that some of the original material may have been lost to the sea.
Last night, Keith and Cullen councillor Ron Shepherd praised the quick response from work crews.
He said: “They’ve done well. It’s good to see they’ve been working through the night to get it done.
“There’s been a tremendous amount of interest in what’s happening at the harbour. It just shows how much people care about it.”
Repair crews worked into the early hours of yesterday morning before resuming their work in the afternoon once the tide had receded again.
Moray Council has confirmed that operations at the harbour have remained unaffected while the work has been taking place.
A spokeswoman said: “Stone that has been recovered from the pier is being recovered and will be kept in storage until it can be rebuilt.
“Options to rebuild the wall will be considered in the coming weeks.
“In the short term, working is ongoing to stablise the sea-facing wall. Rock armour is being sourced and is expected to be in place this week.”