DETAILS of the complex forensic work carried out at the scene have emerged as the investigation into the cause of the crash continues.

Forensic specialists who were called in from across the country used 360-degree photography, stills and video to build a detailed picture of the position and angle of the helicopter and surrounding damage.

Experts used a ruggedised laptop to "rough stitch" the images together using specialist software and created a CD that was passed to Police Scotland.

Members of staff cancelled their leave and others worked extended hours as the painstaking process was completed, with more than a dozen forensic scene examination staff drafted in from Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow to be involved in the operation.

Techniques honed in the blitz during the Second World War to track the finest of detail in the most dangerous of circumstances were also deployed.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service's specially trained Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams used hand tools to remove small amounts of debris in often confined spaces.

Thermal imagery equipment was also used in the initial stages of the rescue operation.