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A WORKER at a Scots nuclear power plant has been allegedly caught studying bomb-making websites at work.

The staff member was marched off the premises at Hunterston B, West Kilbride, this morning after a shocked colleague raised the alarm.

Police are now investigating the worker accessing “inappropriate material” while working at the nuclear facility.

The man, who is believed to be a Muslim who moved recently from England, has worked at the North Ayrshire facility for around four weeks.

He was spotted by a fellow colleague on Monday, who reported his concerns to management.

The contractor works as a ‘special entry assistant’ at the power station, and his role involves him going into the heart of the plant to assist tradesmen.

He was allegedly seen viewing inappropriate websites on homemade explosives on a laptop computer, which he slammed shut after being spotted by a work mate.

When he arrived for work on Tuesday, he was escorted from the premises by security guards and plant owners EDF called in police.

A source at the plant said: “The guy has only worked here for a short time.

“He is a low-level employee, but has access to the reactor, where he basically helps out tradesmen working on it.”

Speaking about the incident with the laptop, the source added: “One of his colleagues spotted him engrossed in a laptop on Monday.

“As he passed by, it was slammed shut, but not before the fellow worker got an eyeful of what he had been looking at.

“To him it looked like some sort of website on how to make bombs .

“He reported his concerns to bosses, and theguy was escorted of the site today.

“You can’t have people with access to a nuclear core having any sort of interest in explosives.

“No one knows what was going through his head, but its not what you want to see in a nuclear power plant.”

Hunterston B is one of two nuclear reactors still in operation in Scotland, and is capable of supplying the electricity needs of over 1 million homes.

It is run by French energy giant EDF, and has been generating electricity since 1976.

Hunterston B was originally planned to close in 2011, but will now remain operational until 2023.

A spokeswoman for EDF said: “All EDF Energy employees and contractors undergo a rigorous Government standard, National Security Vetting check in order to be able to work on any nuclear site. We have been made aware of allegations concerning a contractor accessing inappropriate web material and immediately notified the relevant authorities. We are working with Police Scotland, with the support of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, to determine the facts and take appropriate action.

“The Civil Nuclear Constabulary - CNC - are deployed at all EDF Energy’s nuclear sites to further enhance the already robust security arrangements at all civil nuclear power stations. Provision was made for this by the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act, 2001. These officers work alongside existing security teams at each station.”

The spokeswoman added that there was no danger to the plant or the public.

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said the incident was being dealt with by the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC).

No one from the CNC was available for comment.