Vandals target Fochabers community life-saving equipment
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LIFE-saving equipment funded by the community of Fochabers has been destroyed by vandals.
The village's retained firefighting team had worked hard, with staunch community backing, to buy and instal a series of life-rings along the River Spey right up to the mouth of the river.
However, thugs have completely wrecked one of these unit, as Fochabers Fire Station Crew Commander Dave Crawford explained.
"Over the weekend we have been informed of damage done to one of the village's life-rings at the cricket pitch," he said.
"However, on going down today [Wednesday] we found only the steel pole left. These were cemented into the ground and but this one has been ripped out. Also the housing unit, including the life-ring have gone, whether thrown into the river or dumped somewhere else.
"These rings have been funded by the local community and local businesses to be used in the event of someone getting into difficulties in the Spey. There are eight along the Spey that we have installed with one at the viaduct at Garmouth being used to save some canoeists last year.
"They aren’t cheap to replace – a whole unit like this is now £350 – and due to this we have reported this to the police and classing this as a vandalism and theft.
"Anyone with any information please either contact anyone at the station or inform Police Scotland on 101."
