Hearts call in contractors for stand clean-up

HEARTS CALL IN Hearts have brought in contractors to clear snow from the roof of their main stand after falling guttering smashed through the dugouts.

Hearts started a clean-up operation after falling snow and ice pulled off heavy gutters from the oldest stand at Tynecastle.

Club officials have already met police and council representatives to explain how they intend to make Tynecastle safe ahead of Saturday`s scheduled Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash against Aberdeen.

Stadium and security manager Keith Hogg told HeartsTV: "We have got one heck of an amount of snow on the top of the Main Stand. That needs to be removed.

"It has affected the old cast-iron guttering and that is effectively making the whole place unsafe.

"The contractors will remove the snow from the roof and guttering and once we can do that, we can clear away the (rest of the) snow. The guttering is highly dangerous cast-iron and is pretty heavy - it has already taken out some shutters and a CCTV camera. The dugouts have taken a good clattering so we are looking to bring in temporary dugouts."

Hearts remain confident their game will go ahead and will hold further talks with police and council staff tomorrow morning. "The council are pretty happy as long as we can clear the snow from the roof and get rid of the guttering," Hogg added.