A community was in shock after three women were left with serious injuries after being hit by a car.
Police Scotland is appealing for witnesses after a silver Ford Fiesta struck the pedestrians and two parked cars on Burn Lane in Inverurie about 3pm yesterday.
The three women, aged 40, 54 and 76, were taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary with serious injuries.
The 82-year-old male driver of the car was taken to hospital with minor injuries and has since been released.
The road was closed for more than seven hours as police, ambulance and fire crews worked at the scene.
The road was entirely cordoned off between its junctions with Constitution Street and Station Road.
Sergeant Andrew Meikleham, of the road policing department, said: “Anyone who witnessed the collision or who saw the silver Ford Fiesta beforehand, is urged to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference number 2280 of November 16, 2018.
“The road was closed for several hours while emergency services attended the scene but has now reopened and we pass on our thanks to road users and local people for their patience during this time.”
Witnesses have spoken of their shock after the serious incident, which resulted in one of the ambulances leaving the scene under police escort.
Councillor Lesley Berry, who represents Inverurie and district, said: “It’s obviously pretty horrific.
“One of the ambulances seemed to have a police escort in front of it.
“It’s horrendous to hear and my thoughts are with the people involved.
“The last time there was that scale of emergency vehicles passing my house was the day Blythwood House burned down.”
One student, who lives in Inverurie and asked not to be named, said: “I had just got off the train and I could hear sirens and see flashing lights.
“The road outside Poundland was all closed off and someone said a car had gone up on to the pavement.
“It was carnage.”
Another man, who asked not to be named, said: “We just heard the sirens, we got told that some people may have been badly injured.
“It is just tragic and shocking. I hope they all pull through.
“It’s something I can’t remember ever happening in Inverurie.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “We received a call at 2.58pm hours to attend an incident on Burn Lane in Inverurie.
“We dispatched three ambulances, our special operations team, a paramedic response unit and a manager to the scene.”