A worker has fallen to his death inside a 480ft Scottish Power wind turbine he was helping to build.

The 37-year-old was pronounced dead at the Kilgallioch wind farm, on the border between Dumfries and Galloway and South Ayrshire, on Wednesday.

An investigation is now under way, led by Police Scotland and the Health and Safety Executive.

A spokesman for Gamesa, the company contracted to build the wind farm by Scottish Power, said: "Gamesa is conducting a thorough investigation together with the authorities to establish the root cause of this fatal accident.

"Work at the wind farm has been stopped while the investigation takes place.

"We are very saddened and our thoughts go to the family of the employee."

The man is believed to have fallen onto a platform within the turbine's mast.

A Scottish Power spokesman said: "We will support and cooperate fully with these investigations. Our thoughts are with the family of the technician involved in the incident."

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland confirmed officers were called to the scene at 6.45pm on Wednesday and said the force was investigating the incident.

In January, one of the 96 turbines being installed at Kilgallioch collapsed in a storm.

The wind farm will be capable of generating enough electricity to power 130,000 homes when it is complete.