World

Approval for a major upgrade of pylons through the Cairngorms would blight the face of the national park, according to a new campaign group.
Cairngorms Revolt Against Pylons has urged the Scottish Executive not to “rubber stamp” the 67m-tall pylons.
The route, which cuts through the area where the BBC’s Monarch of the Glen is filmed, is part of a planned 180-mile upgrade between Beauly and Denny.
An executive spokesman said it had not yet received a formal application.
The campaign group said the electricity transmission pylons were each the size of the Statue of Liberty.
has also called on energy firm Scottish and Southern Energy to bury the line underground where it passes through Cairngorm National Park.
Spokesman Roy Tylden-Wright said: “If the Scottish Executive rubber stamp these plans it will be failing in its duty to protect Scotland’s second national park.
“Imagine how America’s image abroad would suffer if the government agreed to the construction of monster pylons through Yellowstone National Park?”
Mr Tylden-Wright said that at twice the height of existing pylons in the Highlands the planned route would dominate the park entrances at Kinlochlaggan, Drumochter Pass and the Corrieyairack Pass.
He said this was one of Europe’s last wild landscapes and warned the project could have a disastrous impact on tourism.