THE public has received assurances from the police regarding policing at Hunterston following recent terrorist atrocities in Manchester and London.

Largs Community Councillor Margaret Wood said: “Sometimes people are a bit afraid of the situation, and then we have Hunterston and I know it is well patrolled, but what the older community are worried about is what happens if something happens at Hunterston?

“The information I have been giving them is that the power plant is well secure and everything is in hand with officers and it is well protected.

“It would be nice to give some added reassurance.”

Inspector Brian Skimming said: “We have very good links with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, who are basically the nuclear police, and they were on the same footing as us - we moved to criticial security.

“We have had discussions about how they could do more in the community, and possibly doing joint patrols with us. They are regularly seen in West Kilbride and Hunterston area within the controlled perimeter area.

“They have particular procedures how they would deal with a marauding terrorist incident and we are very much in tune with what that would be, and we would have our own officers in response.

“The Civil Nuclear Police have been there for a long time, a percentage of whom who are armed, and they regularly rotate around the number of the power stations.

“I have always been impressed anytime I visit which is regularly.”

Margaret said: “It is important to provide reassurance, and that is good to know.”

Inspector Skimming added that there was a recent anti-terrorist exercise at Hunterston recently