Disabled Scots youngsters are heartbroken after sick firebugs torched 'around £20,000 worth' of specialist wheelchair racing equipment.
A shipping container belonging to Dumfries and Galloway Wheelchair Track Athletic Club went up in flames at around 7pm on Monday night.
The structure sits in the grounds of The David Keswick Athletics Centre in Marchmount, Dumfries.
High jump mats were positioned around the container and set on fire.
Costly custom and racing wheelchairs, spare parts, helmets, gloves and various other equipment that provides a lifeline to disabled youngsters, was destroyed.
Heartbreaking images show the devastation caused with smoke billowing out of the container and kit that's either burned or melted.
The club was built from nothing by a Scots champion wheelchair racer, Shelby Watson and her father, Russ Watson from nearby Johnstonebridge.
Ranked number one wheelchair racer in the country, 23-year-old Shelby took to social media to vent about her dreams and those of other athletes 'going up in smoke' leaving her 'broken'.
The five-time record breaker, who has cerebral palsy, said: "Broken. My emotions and my belief in humanity. Broken.
"I was barely 15 when my dad and I started a collection in disabled sporting equipment.
"It was my dream to start a club for disabled people like myself; to start a family.
"Yet tonight I see pictures of my dreams, and others' dreams, go up in smoke, literally. I see pictures of burnt and melted equipment.
"I don’t even have time to process that some of my stuff is gone, wheels, gloves, tyres, my gifted racing helmet. I just look at the dust and see my young athletes racers, frames and gloves etc melted to the ground.
"I see a sign my dad and I designed and I think of how many nights we spent arguing over what it should look like which is now burned so badly that it’s a mere shell of what it once was.
"It’s taken so many years to get the contents of this container full; full of racers, bikes, race runners and other adapted equipment."
Nine years of blood, sweat and tears went into setting up the charity which provides disabled children and young persons in South Scotland and North England the opportunity and support to pursue athletics in a safe environment.
Russ is the club's head coach, chairman and co-founder.
The 56-year-old set it up nine years ago as Shelby got tired of being asked to 'hold the tape and hand out medals at school sports days'.
"I'm gutted, it's heartbreaking," Russ told the Record.
"These racing chairs are made to measure, made of alloy and carbon. £20,000 worth of damage has been done.
"But it's how broken these kids will be left mentally that's worrying me. The club is a lifeline, gives them confidence.They're mentally breaking down over this."
Russ added: "I hope that whoever is responsible comes forward. But if not, I hope they realise the damage that's been done.
"This is disabled kids they're going for here; not a bit of a laugh, not a bonfire.
"Hopefully they think twice about lighting a match with friends."
Shelby holds five world records in T33 wheelchair races in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1,500m events.
In a heartbreaking statement she wrote: "Whoever, has done this has destroyed and in most cases damaged equipment beyond repair.
"Anyone with a disability or who knows someone with a disability knows the seer expense of this stuff and it’s gone, years of work, gone.
"I cannot believe a person(s) could do this; could destroy a disabled clubs' equipment.
"Phone calls are now going ahead to notify young athletes and children that their beloved source of freedom is no longer usable."
The distraught athlete then made a direct plea to those responsible.
"I hope they realise what they have done, not just to me and my dad who built this club but to every individual athlete that has to pray that their equipment wasn’t as badly damaged as the rest," she wrote.
"I hope they realise that they have taken equipment by their actions that is not easily replace. I hope they realise they have damaged the club at its roots, its foundations. I hope it was worth whatever kicks that someone got out of this.
"I can’t even process what’s been done and the damaged both physically and mentally this is done. I hope the people responsible see this and genuinely feel sorry for what they have done.”
Furious locals echoed Shelby's message of despair on social media.
One said: "I'm so sorry Shelby.
"The human race leaves me feeling disgusted more often than not."
Another added: "This is awful.
"I am so sorry that this has happened.
"Genuinely gutted for you all."
A third said: "I'm so, so sorry. I hope they lift the wee bams that have done this.
"This is absolutely terrible."
Family friend, Honor Gibson launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for the club in the wake of the fire.
A target of £2,500 has been set.
So far people have donated over £400.
Honor wrote: "With permission from Shelby, Russ and Anne I have set this up to raise as much money as possible on behalf of the Dumfries and Galloway Wheelchair Track Athletics. Today they were hit with the news that the container holding their equipment has been deliberately damaged by fire.
"I’d like to try and raise as much as I can to go towards new equipment, that is already expensive as it is. Any donation big or small would be amazing."
Police confirmed the incident and said that they'd like to speak to 'two male youths' who were in the area at the time of the incident.
Anyone with information is being urged to come forward.
A Dumfries and Galloway Police Division spokesperson said: "At around 7pm on May 24 Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were directed to attend the David Keswick Centre in Dumfries.
"A fire had been deliberately set, to high jump mats, which had been positioned around a shipping container belonging to Dumfries and Galloway Wheelchair Track Athletics Club.
"A club which provides disabled children and young persons in South Scotland and North England the opportunity and support to pursue athletics in a safe environment.
"Although the container was secured, smoke and heat damage was caused to the equipment within.
"This included a number of custom and racing wheelchairs, spare parts, helmets, gloves and various other equipment causing tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage.
"Police are keen to speak to two male youths who have been identified as being in the area at the time.
"If anyone has any information relating to this incident that could assist Police, please contact 101 and provide the reference 2990 of May 24, 2021."
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have been contacted for comment.
Donate to the club by visiting the GoFundMe page.
Don't miss the latest Scottish crime and courts news from the Daily Record. Sign up to our Criminal Record newsletter here
