Masked youths trash Edinburgh charity building and set fire to garden tunnel
A group of masked teenagers trashed an Edinburgh charity building before setting fire to and destroying a garden tunnel.
It is understood a small group of youths dressed in black broke into an 18th century farm steading owned by local charity Youth Vision. After breaking into the charity’s base, the group then ‘vandalised each room’ of the building before setting fire to a polyhouse - a tunnel in which plants are grown.
The incident happened at around 5pm at Threipmuir reservoir.
Founded in 2005, Youth Vision ‘works with young people from South West Edinburgh that are struggling with formal education, or are excluded from school, and are not engaged in training, or employment.’
The charity’s manager and founder Sara Beaureard said: “A lot of what they did was just silly - pulling drawers out and throwing them outside and putting chairs upside down – just stupid stuff. But then they went into the polyhouse where they started a fire.
“We use the polyhouse for gardening activities where young people get an introduction to horticulture, from planting their own vegetables and then harvesting them. These facilities also provide work experience for young people and give people life skills.”
The charity have launched a fundraiser to help cover costs of the damage which has raised more than £2,000 so far. The charity said they are ‘overwhelmed by the love and generosity shown’.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 5pm on Saturday, January 24 we were called to a shed on fire in the Mansfield Road area of Edinburgh. The fire was extinguished and there were no injuries. It’s being treated as wilful and enquiries are ongoing.”
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We were alerted at 5pm on Saturday, January 24 to reports of a fire at Threapmuir Reservoir in Edinburgh. Operations Control mobilised one appliance to the scene and firefighters extinguished a shed fire. There were no casualties and crews left the scene at 6.45pm after ensuring the area was made safe."