Construction work has begun for the biggest security operation Scotland has ever seen, ahead of the G8 summit in a few weeks' time. A massive security fence will stretch for five miles around Gleneagles hotel.

Scotland got its first sight of it today, as news came that the Prime Minister is to embark on a round of urgent diplomatic talks with the world leaders who will be heading for Scotland.

While it was a perfect morning on the greens of Gleneagles today, golfers there now have a new sight on the horizon. 10,000 wire mesh panels will be used to create the five mile cordon which will eventually circle the entire perimetre of the hotel grounds and its golf course. A few hundred people will live within this ring of steel and they are being given access passes to allow them to come and go, but anyone who is caught trying to enter this area will be arrested.

Assistant Chief Constable William Bald from Tayside Police said: "We think it's very important to actually delineate where the security venue is exactly to people going and it tells them where they shouldn't be and I suppose equally well it tells those attending the conference where they should stay."

The fence is just one element of the 50 million security operation. For obvious reasons, the police are not releasing too many details of the other arrangements around the hotel itself. It may seem peaceful at the moment, but police patrols around the cordon will be increased from early June.