Two people were airlifted to hospital

A Royal Air Force helicopter was called in by a crew treating a man who suffered serious leg injuries and another victim with chest injuries following an accident involving a school bus and a car near Mintlaw.

A spokesman for Aberdeen Ambulance Service said calling out a helicopter was the only way the crew could guarantee getting the victims the urgent treatment they needed.

He told BBC Scotland: "It was not recommended that we try and get this accident victim in by road and, of course, the state of the day with the weather was making things worse for flying."

The majority of Scotland's ambulance services have said they are not yet worried about obtaining fuel for their vehicles.

Most have made special arrangements with local garages to reserve diesel for their exclusive use.

However, concerns about continuity of supply have been voiced by Dumfries and Galloway and by Fife, Tayside and Forth Valley.

Vital supplies

All vehicles in these areas were fuelled up - but the very long distances that some of them have to travel had led to questions over how long supplies would last.

Controllers say they are more concerned about staff getting to work if they cannot buy petrol for their cars.

Two hired tankers loaded with vital supplies for hospitals at Canniesburn in Glasgow and Ninewells in Dundee were allowed to leave the blockaded Grangemouth oil refinery after talks between protestors and police.

Other than the fuel for the hospitals, no supplies have left the refinery - which Scotland depends on for almost all of its supplies - since 1500 BST on Monday.

Police and fire services in the Lothian and Borders area report that they have enough fuel to maintain normal emergency services for the foreseeable future.

Operating normally

Fife Police said it was in a similar position and would continue to monitor the situation.

Organisations in Dumfries and Galloway - including the health service and council departments, the gas, electricity and water companies and Royal Mail - are also monitoring the situation and laying contingency plans.

All the organisations are operating normally, but are preparing to prioritise emergency and essential services if the shortage continues.

Coastguards in Aberdeen say they are working hard to ensure that they have enough fuel for their search and rescue helicopters in Sumburgh and Stornoway.

Loganair, which operates the air ambulance service to the Shetland Islands, stressed that it had fuel available, even if the situation worsens.

Sent home

Meanwhile, about 500 Aberdeenshire school pupils have been excused from classes on Wednesday in anticipation of further disruption on the roads.

School transport to four secondary schools at Bankhead, Dyce, Bridge of Don and Cults has been cancelled and the children were being sent home early on Tuesday.

Gas pipeline operator Transco has announced the suspension of routine activities to conserve fuel for the gas emergency service.

The company says priority will be given to gas escapes and situations which cause or threaten a loss of gas supply, while some essential pipeline work will also carry on.