River users have been urged to report the misuse of life-saving rings on the Teith and Forth following a string of thefts.
Stirling Council has 39 life rings deployed across sections of the Forth and Teith where it has fishing rights and management responsibility.
Since the start of June, the total loss of equipment throughout the Stirling fishery area is close to 40 rings, which has an estimated cost of around £2000 to the council.
“This is a serious issue that we have encountered in the past and it could have dire consequences,” said council fisheries officer Scott Mason.
“Some of these rings are having to be replaced daily and there’s a big question mark over why that’s happening. Lives will remain at risk while it goes unanswered.”
Stirling Council has one of the last remaining publicly owned, council-run fisheries in Scotland and its season runs from February to October.
During the summer, the rivers which flow through Stirling are seen as a hot spot for anglers as well as walkers, cyclists and tourists, further highlighting the need for appropriate safety equipment on site.
Earlier this summer, a woman was saved near Craigforth by anglers using a life ring after she became entangled in the riverbed.
Fisheries staff also carried out a water rescue of an angler in Callander who had managed to fall in the river during a flood in March.
Convener of the council’s environment and housing committee Jim Thomson hit out at the misuse of rings and vice convener Danny Gibson added: “The dangers of open water come up every year – whether that be in rivers or quarries or at local beauty spots, like water falls – so it’s mind boggling to think people would simply steal this life saving equipment.
“Hopefully the people taking these rings have a think before they act again, and ask themselves how they’d feel if they were in a situation where they needed access to one but it wasn’t there.”
Anyone who spots life rings being tampered with or removed should contact Police on 101.
