VANDALISM of a kingfisher mural was branded “disappointing” by the National Trust for Scotland.

The conservation charity, which owns and cares for Inveresk Lodge Garden, commissioned Scots artist Tragic O’Hara to paint the artwork and cover up earlier graffiti on a gate in the area.

The colourful and much-admired kingfisher, a nod to the bird which can be spotted nesting alongside the river during the summer months, was recently tagged with a large letter ‘Z’ and ‘OE’ below.

Claire Grant, operations manager for Edinburgh at the National Trust for Scotland, said: “We’re very disappointed and frustrated by the vandalism of our kingfisher mural and I know the original artist is disappointed too.

“Our gardener at Inveresk Lodge works hard to maintain the grounds for people to enjoy and he’s taken the time to remove the tag, which he shouldn’t have had to do.

“The trust commissioned the mural to improve the walkway along the River Esk and we specifically wanted it to deter people from doing this type of graffiti tagging, which is an eyesore.

“We’d like to thank the community for their support on social media – it’s great to see that the mural and our charity’s contribution to the area is appreciated.”