EMERGENCY services are on the scene after a wind turbine caught fire in North Ayrshire.

At around 5.30pm, pictures and videos emerged of thick black smoke and flames emerging from one of the blades on a turbine between West Kilbride and Dalry.

Local fire brigades are attending the scene.

North Coast councillor Todd Ferguson said: "It is not a good thing to see - although wind turbines are a form of green energy they still have engines and mechanical parts - and a lot of these turbines do no have fire mitigation measures so this turbine is not likely to be recoverable.

"I believe the issue is becoming a bigger problem in the industry and it is one of the problems of moving forward with new technology.

The National:

"I wonder with the hot weather over recent days whether that has had any effect.

It is still a relatively rare thing to happen but fire issues such as this are going to have to be looked into closer."

A turbine last went on fire in the area near Ardrossan during a storm in December 2011.