Police are investigating after a car that had been sitting abandoned near Alness for around a week was deliberately set on fire.

Emergency services were called to a lay by on the Corkscrew Road near Culcraggie at around 1.30am on Sunday 31 May after reports of a vehicle engulfed in flames.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze and no injuries were reported.

The vehicle, a silver Ford Mondeo, had reportedly been left in the area for several days before the fire broke out, raising questions about how it came to be abandoned and who was responsible for setting it alight.

The incident happened on a quiet stretch of road popular with motorists travelling through the area and police are now appealing for information from anyone who may have seen the vehicle before the fire.

Officers believe the car may have attracted attention during the week it was parked in the lay by and are keen to hear from anyone who noticed suspicious activity nearby.

Constable Lyle Morrison said:

“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the fire and how the vehicle came to be abandoned in the area.

“I would ask anyone who saw the car being left in the lay-by, or noticed any suspicious activity in the area either during the week before the fire or around the time it happened, to contact police.

“Anyone who was driving in the area and has a dash-cam footage is asked to check it for anything that might assist with our investigation.

“If you think you can help, please contact us on 101, quoting incident number 0315 of 31 May, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Police enquiries remain ongoing as officers work to establish who abandoned the vehicle and what led to it being deliberately set on fire.