Boy charged over damage at cemetery

A SCHOOLBOY has been charged with vandalism after dozens of headstones were pushed over in a cemetery featured on the popular Pokémon Go game.

The 11-year-old was arrested after around £8,000 worth of damage was caused at Whitburn Cemetery in West Lothian on Sunday, July 17.

It follows reports that groups of youngsters have been flocking to the graveyard after it was unveiled as a PokéStop on the new phone app.

The game uses real maps to create computerised playgrounds in which Pokémon characters ‘hide’.

The incident at the graveyard on Manse Road in Whitburn has not been directly linked to the app, but West Lothian Council has contacted game developer Niantic to ask that the site is removed from it.

Chief Inspector Stevie Dolan said: ‘Offences of this nature will not be tolerated and whenever they occur we will work with all our relevant partners to bring those responsible to account for their actions.’