Schoolchildren have been educated about the dangers of swimming in quarries in the wake of the death of 18-year-old John McKay in Inverkeithing.
As the summer holidays approach, information and a video link were provided to schools in a bid to persuade youngsters to stay away from Prestonhill Quarry and similar areas of water after two youths died in less than a year.
Mr McKay, of Kirkcaldy, drowned two weeks ago, 10 months after Cameron Lancaster, 18, of Burntisland, died at the same spot.
And with children being urged to stay away following the latest tragedy, it emerged last night that Cameron’s mother Gillian Barclay is now leading a bid to try to take over the privately-owned £1.5 million quarry to prevent further heartache.
She told the BBC: “I don’t want another family to go through this and I was livid when I heard of the most recent death there of John McKay. I just want to make it safe.”
Despite warning signs and fences cordoning it off, youths regularly gather at the quarry, particularly in summer.
Various agencies and local councillors attended a meeting called by MSP
Annabelle Ewing following Mr McKay’s death on June 18 and several options were identified, including more education to young adults and encouraging people to report concerns.
Community council chairwoman Helen Doig said: “We are also calling for the community to be vigilant and report suspicious activity to try to avoid another tragedy at this site.
“As well as the immediate dangers of using the quarry for swimming anddiving in, there are the hidden dangers from items being fly-tipped.”
It is hoped money from the Muir Dean Trust Fund could be used to put up more secure fencing, while Councillor Alice McGarry hopes forthcoming legislation in the Community Empowerment Bill could eventually allow community ownership of the quarry.
She said: “We could decide we wanted to retain it and try to make it safer, to change it by having it infilled or whether we should look at realising the planning permission in principle which is in place for leisure or recreation. Could it, for example, be used for a caravan park, chalets or a hotel?
“There are pound signs attached to everything but we need to do something to prevent another tragedy.”