Work is under way to demolish a hotel ripped apart by an explosion just days after it was reopened following a £750,000 refurbishment.

Work is under way to demolish a hotel ripped apart by an explosion just days after it was reopened following a £750,000 refurbishment.

The only part of the Drumtochty Arms hotel in Auchenblae, Aberdeenshire, which will survive is the games room, a listed building for which permission to knock down as part of the redevelopment was refused.

Three victims of Wednesday night's blast remain in hospital recovering from their injuries.

Barmaid Danielle Ormond, 26, had gone down into the cellar after a customer complained a drink was not cold enough. Moments later the blast, understood to be related to a liquefied petroleum gas system being installed, rocked the hotel. Miss Ormond was pulled free by bystanders.

James Tough, 22, was another victim. He had gone to the hotel for a drink with his boss following his last day with a company before starting an offshore job.

The third victim is understood to be Neil Coffield, of Portgordon, who was installing the LPG system. He suffered serious burns.

Scott Gormley, of demolition contractors J G Fowlie of Mintlaw, said demolition would take around two weeks.