Erosion threat to former fishing harbour

THE remnants of what was once Scotland’s second-largest fishing harbour are in danger of being washed away as a result of coastal erosion.

A community group has warned voracious tides have taken large chunks out of Buckhaven’s shingle beach and are now only a metre away from the car park and picnic tables.

Members of Clear Buckhaven said t hree metres of land had been lost in the last year and expressed fears thousands of pounds of improvements at t he town’s foreshore were now under serious threat.

These i nclude new paths, benches, picnic tables, extensive planting of trees and flowers and interpretation panels.

The group believes the area, with views across the Forth, has the potential to be an asset but chairman Bob Taylor said coastal erosion happening in gaps between existing sea armour are concerning.

“The coastal braes are being seriously eroded by several metres per year, probing the new weak spots.

“The same now seems to be happening at Buckhaven’s old harbour.”

A significant herring fishing port in the 19th Century, only the harbour’s east pier is now visible and land is being torn up by the sea.

M r Ta y l o r a d d e d : “Concerns have been passed to Fife Council, which deals with coastal protection but it seems this particular stretch falls between two sections of sea armour which are maintained, so no action has been promised.”

Fife Council service manager Ross Speirs said: “We’re tendering for a contract to carry out repair work including in this area.

“Hopefully the contract can be awarded as soon as possible after the current restrictions are lifted, and the work can begin.

“In the short term this will i nvolve the use of e x i st i n g a r m o u r a n d stones on the foreshore to provide some temporary protection while we source funding and permissions for a longerterm solution.”

JANET Devlin has revealed she battled with alco- holism while still a teenager after appearing on

The X Factor.

The Northern Irish singer was just 16 when she auditioned for the ITV show, eventually coming fifth in the 2011 series of the talent competition.

The 25-year-old told ITV’s Loose Women: “I moved to Sheffield on my own and I was 17, and in those days life was so hectic and it was amazing but, at the end of the day, when you get home you’re on your own in an apartment in a different country where you know nobody, so it was very

PEOPLE l iv i ng w ith ser ious menta l hea lt h issues in Tayside are being “forgotten about” due to psychiatry staff shortages, a patient has claimed.

Sean Aiton waited almost eight months to see a psychiatrist after being referred by a GP to Dundee’s Alloway Centre in November 2018.

The 27-year-old, who suffers from depression and anxiety, eventually managed to see a consultant in August last year before the doctor was signed off sick, and as a result he has not seen a professional since.

Sean said: “It’s crushing and demoralising. It took from November 2018 to August last year to get an appointment.

“I haven’t been seen since that August appointment either – it’s almost a total disregard.”

Frustrated Sean eventually made a formal complaint to NHS Tayside about the length of time he had been waiting to see a consultant.

In response, the health board told Sean the service was having “significant problems in recruiting and retaining psychiatric staff”.