ABERDEEN'S Highland Games has been cancelled as parts of Scotland were hit by heavy rainfall.
Heavy and persistent rain over the past 36 hours has resulted in the cancellation of Games which were due to take place on Sunday (19 June) in the city’s Hazlehead Park.
Hazlehead Park is currently waterlogged and more rain is forecast until Saturday. Grampian bore the brunt of the rainfall in Scotland on Wednesday with some parts lashed with as much as 40 mm.
Grampian was subject of a Met Office yellow alert warning and a Scottish Environment Protection Agency flood alert was issued for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire on Wednesday.
Aberdeen City Council made the decision to cancel the popular annual event following an inspection of the site on Wednesday and said that even if the rain stops ahead of the Games the ground will not be suitable to host this large scale event.
About 10,000 spectators were expected to attend the city’s Games which are an integral part of the Grampian Games circuit.
Aberdeen City Council’s spokesman said: “Although disappointed we hope that everyone who had planned to visit and indeed those who had expected to participate in Aberdeen’s Highland Games this weekend will appreciate that we have not taken this decision lightly. The council said the games cannot be rearranged for later in the year. Meanwhile two roads in and around Aberdeen were closed on Wednesday afternoon due to flooding caused by the heavy rain .
The U53c Chapel of Stoneywood to Newton Kirkhill road, was closed in both directions.
As a result of the water coming from the U53c, one south-bound lane on the A96 Aberdeen to Inverurie road was also closed.
Motorists were warned by the city council to be aware Riverside Drive beside Bon Accord Glass may flood.
It is also expected that Culter Burn will come out of its channel during this period of persistent rain, and Aberdeen City Council has took the "precautionary decision" to deliver sandbags to the Millside and Paddock area of Peterculter to protect properties.
The council said: "It is unlikely that flooding will take place but sandbags were considered to be a sensible precaution."
Marc Becker, SEPA’s hydrology duty manager said: “We are aware of concerns from members of the public but we would like to assure them that any potential flood impacts are not expected to be of the level experienced during last winter."
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