THE skipper of a boat which ran aground at Prestonpans has said he would have been better off if it had sunk at sea following his experience in East Lothian.

Carl Ramsay said he was appalled by the abuse he claims he suffered at the hands of some locals after finding himself stranded on the beach at Prestonpans.

And he claimed his attempts to repair his stricken vessel were scuppered by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), which denied him permission to move to nearby Cockenzie Harbour to carry out the work.

Mr Ramsay, who is from West Yorkshire, told the Courier: "I think it is a disgrace that East Lothian has no contingency plan for shipwrecks despite being a fishing community.

"I have been threatened and abused while staying at the beach at Prestonpans with my boat and when I managed to float it and asked for permission to move to Cockenzie Harbour I was refused by the MCA.

"I've lost everything, this was my home and I invested everything in it. I'd have been better off if it had gone down at sea, rather than coming aground here."

Mr Ramsay's boat the Reaper II ran aground after suffering damage while four miles off Prestonpans beach at the end of last month.

He believes the 45ft vessel was struck by a submarine or whale after it was lifted out of the water by an impact.

It suffered additional damage after striking rocks as it beached at the town.

He set up camp on the beach as he looked into repairing the vessel but, while he initially said he received support from the local community, he told the Courier it did not last.

He said: "I've been abused and threatened by locals for staying at the beach.

"My camp has some furniture which was donated by locals when I first arrived but since then I have been confronted by others angry that I am there.

"I think it is shameful how I have been treated by this fishing community after becoming shipwrecked on their beach."

Mr Ramsay began breaking up the vessel last week, burning timber on the beach.