Emergency crews were dispatched to the site of a nuclear power plant in Ayrshire after an explosion sent smoke billowing into the air.

EDF Energy were quick to point out that the incident was not related to the company’s Hunterston B Power Station at West Kilbride on Thursday.

Instead, it occurred in an external converter station, operated by rival energy company, Scottish Power.

The building is used to service a £1 billion 260-mile long subsea power cable between Scotland and England.

A spokesman for Scottish Fire and Rescue said: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at 3.19pm on September 21 to reports of a component failure within the Western Links electrical facility, West Kilbride.

“Three fire appliances were immediately mobilised to the incident, however their assistance was not required .

“There were no casualties and crews left the scene after ensuring the area was made safe.”

ScottishPower said a component had failed in the Western Link plant during a commissioning test.

A spokesman for ScottishPower said:”During a commissioning test at the Western Link site today, there was a failure of a component in a substation.

“Emergency services attended as a matter of routine but were not required.

“There were no injuries, no disruption to the electricity network and no risk to the nuclear power station.