Wildfires spread in heatwave
Day tainted as thousands of youths descend on beach for an alcohol party
SCORCHING temperatures saw three major wildfires break out in the Highlands, sparking a warning to campers to ensure barbecues and stoves are put out properly.
Thousands of revellers flocked to beaches yesterday as Scotland basked in some of the highest temperatures of the year.
The mercury soared to 80F (26C) in the hottest parts of the country yesterday, making Scotland hotter than the Costa Blanca.
Coastal towns were packed with tourists, while ferry operators struggled to cope with the extra demand.
Coastguards responded to five call-outs over the weekend.
SCOTLAND’S glorious bank holiday was marred by chaotic scenes yesterday as thousands of youths held a drink-fuelled beach party in a popular coastal town.
Mounted police officers were sent in as 2,000 teenagers swarmed onto Troon beach in Ayrshire as the country basked in one of the hottest days of the year.
Police attempted to minimise the disruption by boarding packed trains and confiscating alcohol from the youths as they travelled to the coast.
The youngsters also faced further searches as they arrived at Troon station.
But as thousands descended upon the beach, loud music began to blare and some youngsters were seen drinking alcohol.
Red Cross staff were also on standby and were seen giving three teenage girls medical attention and helping them off the beach.
Police Scotland sent in mounted officers in an effort to maintain order and a handful of the teenagers, many from the Glasgow area, were led off in handcuffs for drink and disorder offences throughout the day. One bare-chested youth was rugby tackled by an officer after stealing a policeman’s hat and running off with it.
Around 60 officers on foot and horseback kept a loose cordon at the beach separating the youths from family groups nearby.
Chief Inspector Gary l’Anson, Police Scotland’s Area Commander for South Ayrshire, urged locals to report any antisocial behaviour to local officers.
He said: ‘While the majority of people are here to have a great day out in the sun, sometimes on days like this we get a minority of young people who come down intent on causing trouble and sometimes get involved in antisocial behaviour or they misuse alcohol and drugs and can require hospital treatment or indeed put themselves at real risk of being the victim of crime.’
A Police Scotland spokesman could not provide details of the number of arrests due to ‘bank holiday staffing’ issues but said she was unaware of serious incidents.
Police were later called to Craigie Hill Quarry near Kilmarnock following reports that a teenager had gone missing while swimming.
Friends reported their concerns after he vanished while they were swimming at the quarry.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Police Scotland confirmed they had been called to the spot at 9pm last night. Officers confirmed they were attending ‘an ongoing incident’.
On Sunday, officers were called to deal with a ‘disturbance’ at Troon beach and a 16-year-old boy was taken to Crosshouse Hospital, Kilmarnock with a leg injury.
The latest incident comes less than a year after 6,000 youths flocked to Troon beach after a social media invitation was shared with thousands of people.
In July last year police made more than ten arrests after dozens of officers, some on horseback, were called in to break up brawls and confiscate alcohol.
Lifeboat crews were also called into action off Troon yesterday as they rescued two men who were found stranded half a mile out to sea on a children’s inflatable with only a plastic spade as a paddle. The men were plucked from the small raft by Troon lifeboat crew during an hour-long rescue.
Eyewitnesses said they had been in the water for two hours before being found ‘frozen and blue’ by passing canoeists Paul Wales, 40, and Derek Mills, 49, who reassured the men until help arrived.
Troon Lifeboat coxswain Joe Millar said: ‘After five callouts this weekend for the volunteer crew involving inflatables, please don’t use them on the coast.’
Temperatures soared to 77F (25C) in the hottest parts of the country yesterday, making Scotland hotter than the Spanish resort of Alicante.
Coastal towns were packed out with tourists while ferry operators struggled to cope with the extra demand for day trips to islands such as Cumbrae and Arran.
The Cumbrae Tourist Board took to social media to warn day trippers that massive queues could build up later in the afternoon.
As well as heading to coastal regions, families made for Loch Lomond, with car parks at Balloch and Luss filled to capacity.
In Renfrewshire, hundreds of people enjoyed the heat at the Gourock Lido Outdoor Pool.
Met Office officials said the hottest places north of the Border were Kinlochewe, Ross-shire, at 80F (26C) and Prestwick in Ayrshire, where temperatures peaked at 78F (25.4C).
Yesterday’s temperatures came close to equalling the year-high of
‘Intent on causing trouble’
80F (26.8) recorded in Achnagart Ross-shire, on Sunday.
Greg Dewhurst of the Met Office said: ‘Scotland has done very well this weekend. Many places have had long spells of sunshine. It’s been brilliant.’
Forecasters said Scotland may be hit by minor thundery showers tomorrow, but say the country will enjoy sunny spells beyond next weekend.
Meanwhile, firefighters battled three major wildfires in the Highlands while police issued an appeal to trace people seen at the scene of one of the blazes.
Officers are trying to trace the owners of two camper vans after a large wildfire took hold in Upper Diabaig, Torridon, Ross-shire, on Sunday.
Other fires broke out near the Sligachan Hotel on Skye and at Achintree, Strathcarron, Ross-shire.
Graham Campbell, from Carbost, Skye, was driving on Sunday when he was turned back from Sligachan due to plumes of smoke filling the air.
He stopped his car when he heard a loud crackling noise and within seconds could see flames on the horizon.
He said: ‘To see flames leaping above the trees was a real shock..’
Firefighters were still battling to bring the fires under control yesterday.
Meanwhile, train services between Glasgow Central and Lanark were cancelled. ScotRail issued an apology after engineers found the heat had warped the shape of the rail lines.
A spokesman for the operator said: ‘Staff have confirmed that a rail has become distorted due to the heat.’
The line remained closed from 6pm yesterday and was not expected to resume until this morning.