By Alan Richardson

A MAN died when his car left the road in rural Perthshire yesterday afternoon.

The driver, whose details have not been released by police, was killed when his car plunged down an embankment on the minor B9099 road near Murthly, around 10 miles north of Perth.

It is not clear when the accident actually happened but the emergency services raced to the scene after the alarm was raised at around 3pm by a passing motorist and discovered a yellow Renault Clio on its side in the Murthly Burn, 20 to 30 feet below road level.

The car’s sole occupant—believed to be a local man in his 80s—was pronounced dead at the scene.

A police spokesman said last night his details will not be released until he has been formally identified and next of kin have been fully informed.

The road, which runs between Caputh and Murthly, was closed for several hours while police accident investigators examined the scene.

A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal when their study has been completed.

A spokesman for Tayside Police said, “Tayside Police would appeal to anyone who was on the B9099 Caputh to Murthly road between 7am and 3pm today (Thursday) and who may have seen this vehicle to contact the force on 01738 621141, as they may have information useful to inquiries.”