City youths blamed for vandalising old hospital

A GANG of youths from Dundee are believed to be travelling across the Tay Road Bridge to graffiti a derelict hospital.

Officers in Fife have been called five times in the last month to the former Netherlea Hospital in Newport.

Developers are planning to demolish the buildings to make way for homes costing up to £650,000 — but while plans remain early on in the process, youths are said to be taking advantage of the derelict site.

Graffiti has also been found next to a primary school in Wormit.

In a report produced by PC Pete Holmes, the officer says he has taken a trip to Lochee and seen the same “tags” as have popped up in the Newport area.

The report said: “Speaking with local youths they believe others are coming from Dundee to do this.

“We have been to Dundee and viewed the same tags in the Lochee area.

“Images of these tags have been sent to our intelligence office to liaise with their Dundee counterparts in an attempt to trace the perpetrators.

“The big attraction at the moment is the old Netherlea Hospital — there have been five calls in the last month to the area.

“It appears to be a hangout for some teenagers with the building now covered in graffiti.”

Fife councillor Tim Brett said that graffiti had been a issue in the past but it was hoped the problem was under control.

He said: “We had problems with graffiti last year and I had hoped we had got on top of the problem.

“We put special courses on at the community centre for teenagers who are interested in graffiti art.

“It seemed to help with one or two youngsters who were thought to be involved in doing it previously but in the last few weeks the area has had more graffiti.”

Mr Brent believes trees being removed by developers preparing for new houses has attracted teenagers to the site.

He is now hopeful the developers will secure the site as soon as possible and prevent further spates of graffiti.

The councillor is also keen to hear from residents who spot any graffiti in the area.