FIRERAISING youths have been causing concern in Cockenzie and Port Seton.

Multiple calls were made to police over the month of March, with several reporting youths in the town starting deliberate fires.

In one incident, a fire was lit near the former Cockenzie Power Station, while another fire at Seton Sands, which was “big and set deliberately”, resulted in 15 caravans being evacuated.

At the April meeting of Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Council, Councillor Colin Yorkston explained that the Problem Solving Partnership set up to tackle anti-social behaviour in the area had reported there was a levelling-off in youth incidents recently but that there had been a slight increase this month.

However, fireraising had not been included in the statistics and the partnership was to be notified with the information post meeting.

The current Preston Seton Gosford (PSG) Community and Police Partnership (CAPP) priority is targeted youth anti-social behaviour.

Jackie Muller, secretary and community councillor, reported that the issues would be discussed further at the next CAPP meeting but it was “dangerous to assume all anti-social behaviour involved young people”.

While Emma Brown, PSG connected communities manager, added that “intelligence suggested that it was not all related to youths” but that some primary school aged children were involved.