Fingertip search in the bombers' forest

• A Metropolitan police helicopter flies over Ross Priory as the search goes on by Loch Lomond yesterday Picture: Getty

Police have promised to "painstakingly" scour the area of Garadhban Forest, by Loch Lomond, where more explosives were found following the blast on Wednesday.

Security sources say there is a "strong likelihood" of a link to terrorism, and investigating officers from Strathclyde Police have kept tight-lipped about the nature of the explosives.

Police quickly enlisted the help of counter-terror and bomb disposal experts, and asked shops and businesses in the neighbouring village of Gartoharn to hand over CCTV as a matter of urgency.

Residents have reported seeing a burned-out car abandoned very close to the site of the explosion just a couple of weeks earlier, although police say this is not a line of inquiry.

Terror experts say the secluded site would be perfect for testing explosives intended for use in an attack.

Some villagers believe a major waterworks in the area could have been targeted.

However police have refused to speculate. Chief Superintendent Calum Murray, divisional commander of Argyll, Bute and West Dunbartonshire, said yesterday: "The priority yesterday was to make sure that there was no risk to the public or officers in order that initial investigations could take place.

"We can assure everyone that this area is secure and there is no risk to anyone living, working in or visiting the area.

"Today we began the painstaking task of searching the area for any evidence. We would like to thank the public for their co-operation and assistance so far in our initial inquiries.

"We would also ask for their continued patience as I am sure they understand that we must follow strict procedures in order that we carry out a thorough investigation."

Scottish Government ministers are being kept informed of developments and neighbouring residents and national park wardens have been interviewed.

David Capitanchik, international terrorism expert and honorary professor at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, said: "It's unusual not to make an announcement by this time - this has gone on for days now.

"This makes me believe it's terror training, or stores, or something like that. They will be looking round the country now to try to see who it is.

"MI5 will very likely be taking the lead in looking for them.

There was a police guard yesterday at the entrance of Ross Priory Road, which leads to the 19th-century Ross Priory building where weddings and conferences take place.

The explosives were made safe by the Royal Navy Northern Division Group and taken away for examination.

The police fingertip search is looking for any associated devices or materials which might indicate what the explosives were, who they belonged to and where they came from.

'If anyone was knocking about, someone would have seen them'

THE explosion that sent some of the UK's foremost terrorism experts scurrying to Loch Lomond also shattered the tranquillity of the Scottish beauty spot.

The neighbouring village of Gartocharn centres on one main road with a school and a shop, the Loch View convenience store, where any local gossip is likely to be found.

There are stunning views in every direction - none more so than one over fields to Loch Lomond and Garadhban Forest.

But during yesterday's weekly village fete - a source of pride for the community, attracting more than 100 people and raising more than 300 - there were police officers going from table to table, and the talk amid the teas, coffee and cakes was only about one thing.

Marie Lyall, 50, a shop worker, was among the first to know something was wrong.

She lives in one of the houses closest to where the blast took place and heard a noise that seemed innocuous to her, but which managed to spook her chihuahuas Feargal and Sharkey.

Mrs Lyall said: "I was in the house when I heard this bang. I thought the mop had dropped off and hit the door - that's what it sounded like. But the two dogs were freaked by it."

She still did not know the true cause of the bang when she and her husband Jonathan, 49, a dairy foods supplier, took the dogs for a walk.

They went, as they do most days, past the piece of woodland where the explosion had taken place.

Mr Lyall said: "We often walk the dogs down there. We were there just after it happened, about 3:30pm on Wednesday.

"There were police officers there then so we knew there had been an incident. There was an area cordoned off.

"But it was a couple of days before everyone knew what had happened."

The Loch View convenience store is where the attempted Glasgow Airport bomber stopped to pick up petrol in 2007.

One shopworker at Loch View, who did not want to be named, said: "Customers were coming into the shop saying there's a lot of police about and that there had been an explosion.

"We just carry on as normal. We've been assured it's safe. If we start to worry we will all drive ourselves stupid."

Paul Lindsay, 62, a retired firefighter, who runs a B&B with his wife Mable that looks out towards Garadhban Forest, said: "Everyone's really shocked. It's a very quiet community. It's just dog walkers who go down there. Not a lot of people know about it.

"This is the kind of area that if someone was knocking about, someone would have seen them."

An elderly woman, living in the second closest house to where the explosion happened, who asked not to be named, said: "Below there is a big waterworks. People around here think they were after the waterworks.

"That's the only thing they can think of. Why else would they be here?"