Famous Aberdeen granite quarry sold

Aberdeen's iconic Rubislaw Quarry has been acquired by two local businessmen, BBC Scotland can reveal.

The granite quarry, once the biggest man-made hole in Europe, went on sale on the open market earlier this year for the first time in 150 years.

The new owners have been revealed as former oil consultant Sandy Whyte and Hugh Black, the former managing director of a construction company.

The sale price was not revealed but offers over £30,000 were sought.

The quarry is credited with giving Aberdeen its name of the Granite City.

Mr Whyte and Mr Black said they wanted to explore ways of sharing with the public the beauty of the landmark site, which is now filled with water.

They plan to set up a website to share its history and outline what the future may hold for the quarry.

In a statement, the new owners said they had been drawn to the quarry by its significant contribution to Aberdeen's growth as a city.

"Sandy and Hugh believe that Rubislaw Quarry still has a lot to offer the city from a heritage point of view and in the short term, they will look to explore ways to share the beauty of their landmark site," the statement read.

The five-acre quarry, which is about 480ft (150m) deep and nearly 400ft (120m) wide, lies in the heart of Aberdeen's west end. It closed in 1971.