A key Speyside road which was washed away by flash floods in August has reopened.
The 60-yard stretch of the B9136 Avonside road, near Tomintoul, was destroyed after more than a month’s rain fell in just 24 hours an the swollen River Avon swept away part of the carriageway.
Drivers were left facing long diversions.
Limehillock Quarries was hired to carry out the repairs.
A channel was formed in the river to keep the water away from the section which was being rebuilt 10ft above the water level, but got washed away again by more heavy rain on August 17.
The company then placed large “pitching” stones to protect the bank and filled in behind them with rock to build up to road level.
The road was then resurfaced and the verges landscaped with soil, with more than 2,250 tonnes of rock armour and 3,000 tonnes of crushed rock used in the repair.
Moray Council area engineer for the east of the region, Ian Cameron, said: “The B9136 is an important route in the Tomintoul area.
“When it was closed, the travelling public faced a long diversion via Drumin, Glenlivet and back to Tomintoul via Tomnavoulin on the B9008. The repair therefore had to be carried out as soon as possible.
“The type of heavy plant and materials needed are not used by council roads maintenance teams, who were busy anyway with numerous other sites that had been damaged.
“We are very pleased with the final result and the speed with which the road was reopened – no doubt the residents and road users of the area are too.”