An award-winning and "hugely popular" building used by bird-watchers on Loch Leven has been destroyed by fire - apparently set deliberately.
Reserve workers say they have been 'shocked and saddened' by the destruction of the Mill Hide on the edge of Kinross, which is being investigated by police.
The hide, built in 2011, had won awards for its architectural design. It was a much-loved place for locals and visitors alike to enjoy some of the best views of the loch and the large numbers of birds congregating on the water.
NatureScot’s reserve manager Neil Mitchell discovered the "completely gutted" which caught fire sometime between 7 and 8pm on Thursday, February 18th.
The Hide after the fire
Mr Mitchell said: “When I went out to the site this morning I was shocked and saddened to see what has happened to the hide. It’s been completely destroyed and what’s worse is we believe the fire was started deliberately.
“It was a beautiful building that has won several awards, and many visitors will have snapped views from it. Sadly we’ve now had to fence off the site for public safety.
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“While it’s gutting to see it destroyed, the response from the community and the general public has been amazing. Given this bird watching site’s popularity and fantastic loch side location, we are determined to replace the hide as soon as possible.
“We would urge anyone with information about the fire to contact Police Scotland.”
Chief Inspector Graham Binnie of Police Scotland said: "Starting fires deliberately is reckless, dangerous and risks lives. In this case, the bird hide has been completely, and unnecessarily, destroyed.
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"We are investigating this as a deliberate act and would ask anyone who saw any suspicious behaviour in the area on Thursday evening, or has information to identify those responsible, to report this to us as soon as possible."
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