An Aberdeenshire hotel under refurbishment has been targeted in what is believed to be an attempted petrol bomb attack.

The Station Hotel on Commercial Road, Insch, had one of its new ground floor windows smashed earlier this week with a large stone and a full petrol container with a cloth tied around the handle.

Describing the incident as "sickening", the owners said they believed it had taken place on Monday or Tuesday.

There were no injuries and the petrol did not ignite.

Police and forensic officers attended on Tuesday and are using CCTV footage to aid their investigation.

The hotel, formerly known as the Carriages Hotel, closed in 2011 after the previous owner's company folded.

The local community fought off a bid to turn the hotel into flats in 2015 and the hotel subsequently came into new ownership last May.

It is hoped it will reopen in the summer.

The new owners took to social media to offer a "substantial reward" to anyone with information that could lead to a conviction.

Constable Lewis Moir of the Garioch community policing team said: "Vandalism and antisocial behaviour will not be tolerated.

"The owners of the hotel are in the process of refurbishing the premises and so it is disappointing that someone has chosen to cause damage to a local business which will benefit the community in the long term.

"If anyone noticed anything suspicious in or around the area of Commercial Road, Insch, between these hours, please call Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident 0485 of March 27."