Parents are dicing with their children’s lives by taking them swimming in a west Fife opencast site.
The practice at Blair House has been slammed by local MP Douglas Chapman, who said another tragedy, like those at Prestonhill Quarry in Inverkeithing, didn’t bear thinking about.
“What’s most worrying are the reports that adults are knowingly taking children to this dangerous site,” he said.
“It beggars belief that someone would knowingly encourage a youngster in their care to swim at this spot – it’s the height of irresponsibility.”
Reports that adults are bringing children along to swim in the water, and use the land for quad biking and other activities, has led to Mines Restoration Limited (MRL) installing additional safety measures.
The work, being carried out in consultation with Fife Council and the Blair House site liaison group, will also ensure restricted access.
Dougie Arneil, who chairs Blair House community liaison committee, said: “In spite of the best efforts of MRL, the public is gaining access to the water via gates, fences and bridle paths.
“This is an extremely dangerous practice and we urge everyone to stay clear of what is still a working site.
“Regrettably these incursions are also causing significant damage – the site is now also home to scramblers and quad bikers, which has a negative impact on surrounding properties and farms in terms of damage and noise.”
With school holidays here, he urged parents to keep their children away from the site near Oakley.
“Blair House is not a recreation facility – it is an opencast coal mine and work is still underway.
“Young people and their families must pay attention to the warning signs around the site and be very aware of the dangers.”
Safer Communities chairwoman Margaret Kennedy urged local people to be aware of these “real and significant dangers”.
With Fife Council committed to minimising the dangers around quarries, she appealed to parents, children and teenagers not to treat quarries as playgrounds.
“They are dangerous, and potentially deadly,” she said.
Additional works at Blair House have included the reinstatement of the bridlepath on the north west boundary and the installation of drainage features to eliminate potential flooding on the eastern boundary.
MRL chairman Professor Russel Griggs said: “We have been carrying out a lot of essential work on the site and have taken all of the steps required to make sure people are aware of the dangers.
“Scottish Mines Restoration Trust, MRL, Fife Council and community representatives are doing everything possible to mitigate the issues presented by Blair House.”
Restoration of the site is on hold pending the recovery of restoration bond monies from Royal and Sun Alliance.
