A TRANENT man has been criticised after boasting on social media that he had broken lockdown rules for a 900-mile trip round the Scottish coastal touring route known, the North Coast 500 (NC500).

Adam Jarguz posted on a social media site for owners of the Seat Leon MK3 car that he had made the three-day road trip last week.

Alongside pictures he had taken on his journey was a caption that read “NC500 complete”.

He added that he camped on the route, as hotels and B&Bs were closed, and did not encounter anyone during the trip, using pay-at-pump services for fuel.

Under current Scottish Government lockdown restrictions, it is against the law to leave your home for anything other than an essential reason, with people urged to avoid unnecessary travel.

Mr Jarguz has been criticised by members of the public who live along the route and by the North Coast 500 Ltd company.

Tom Campbell, executive chairman of North Coast 500 Ltd, said: “We strongly condemn any irresponsible or anti-social behaviour conducted by a minority of visitors on the NC500 and would urge people always to report such behaviour to Police Scotland and other relevant authorities in the first instance.”

Margaret Meek, co-founder of NC500 The Land Weeps social media page, said: “It’s not a grey area: it’s illegal to go from East Lothian to the Highlands for a jaunt for non-essential travel.

“Obviously he did not drive 900 miles on a round trip and not get out of his car. It’s not rocket science.”

Ali Gillespie, from Inverness, who spotted the social media post, said: “You only need to look at what’s happening in Barra to see what happens when Covid arrives in wee places where locals aren’t expecting it.

“Selfish in the extreme.”

Mr Jarguz could not be reached for comment.