OBSCENE graffiti left at a recently-completed skate park could be coming from people visiting from Edinburgh.

Police were called out last month after a report was made of “obscene graffiti having been painted all over” the skate park at Haddington’s Whittingehame Drive.

The skate park, which was only completed this summer after a lengthy public campaign, is frequently used by youngsters from throughout Haddington and the area.

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Police Constable Lynn Black highlighted the problem of the graffiti, which has since been cleaned off by East Lothian Council, at the town’s community council meeting.

The police officer said enquiries were ongoing, which included looking into the possibility that those responsible were travelling into the county from Edinburgh.

Speaking after the meeting, PC Black said there were suggestions the “tag” was related to Edinburgh, while those thought to be involved were also seen leaving the area in a vehicle, although no registration had been taken down.

Damage was also done to reflector signs and street furniture at the skate park, and the officer added it was a cost to the council to have the graffiti removed.

PC Black has also said that a fire was recently started near the skare park.

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The news that the skate park had been targeted for graffiti by vandals saddened Jan Wilson, the community council chairwoman.

Haddington and District Community Council played a key role in the creation of the facility, after youngster Gavin McManus visited the group urging them to do what they could to bring a new skate park to the town.

Since then, members of the community worked tirelessly to raise the funds needed to build the £150,000 skate park, with organisations such as Haddington and Lammermuir Area Partnership (HALAP), Haddington Community Development Trust (HCDT) and the community council chipping in with funding.

The final steps saw £50,000 awarded from Viridor Credits just over a year ago, with planning permission granted earlier this year and the skate park opened in June.

Mrs Wilson was not surprised by what had happened but was disappointed.

One suggestion being made is for a professional artist to either create a mural at the skate park or to work alongside local youngsters to create their own graffiti.

She said: “I’m not surprised, but it is disappointing.

“If it was nice graffiti then you would not mind, but not those type of things.

“It does not bother me if they read [this] or not – it is such a childish thing to do.”