Shocking pictures have emerged which show the extent of the destruction caused by youths at Newhailes House and Gardens in Musselburgh.
Police say the area has become something of a hotspot for anti-social youths during the lockdown, with young people gathering in the grounds of Newhailes Estate and nearby wooded areas and partying until the early hours.
At the weekend a significant amount of damage was done on the property with the old flower garden considerably damaged. Several roofs on buildings were caved in while event props were destroyed.
Those at Newhailes House say this poses not only a huge risk to those involved, but also their own teams who now must go along to clean the area up.
In a statement on social media they said: "We have once again had a large amount of vandalism and destruction at Newhailes this weekend. The area of the old flower garden, which is closed off and secured, has been considerably damaged, with whole roofs being caved in and event props being destroyed. We have notices asking for these areas not to be entered as they are unsafe. We do have security measures in place that are being reviewed.
"This causes us to stretch our limited resources further and is also dangerous for those entering and our staff that must now clear it all."
The estate hosts Newhailes House – a famous Category A-listed Palladian villa which is occupied and maintained by the National Trust for Scotland. There's also an incredible woodland area with stunning walking routes which throw up views over the Forth.
However police in Musselburgh say the area has become a meeting place for youths engaging in anti-social behaviour.
They say community officers have been "made aware of a number of incidents of anti-social behaviour in the grounds of the Newhailes Estate in the past month". This includes people entering and vandalising derelict buildings, and young people gathering in woodland and partying until the early hours.
PC Kevin Hughes said: "Not only are these activities leading to further damage and excessive littering which spoil the area, but they are also causing great concern to the local community.
"We have been conducting patrols in the area and will continue to do so, as we make enquiries into these recent incidents. Anyone with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 and ask for the Musselburgh Community Policing Team."
