Who built gang hut?

The Comrie Perthshire Facebook page has been overwhelmed by comments after it emerged that police were investigating an illegal “gang hut”that had appeared in Cowden Woods.

The page has had over 24,000 hits since the police report appeared last Thursday with the vast majority of comments praising the ingenuity of those responsible for setting up the outdoor playground.

Police have cordoned off the site, which included mountain bike jumps and a basketball court. More concerning, however, is evidence that a shooting range was also set up and fires had been lit.

A page administrator for Comrie Perthshire said:“This is the biggest amount of hits we have ever had. I am surprised at how much attention it has attracted.”

A Save the Gang Hut Facebook page has also been set up in support of the creation, attracting around 900 followers in two days.

Police enquiries continue and they are appealing for information about the damage, which is understood to have taken place between April 1 and June 12 but locals are as baffled as police as to who the culprits are. The Herald understands that they may no longer live in the area and that the gang hut may have been built more than three years ago.

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said:“The woods are private property and the landowner has not given permission for any construction or any recreational activities other than walking to take place in the woods.

“A number of saplings have been felled in the construction of this hut and area, also without permission of the landowner.”