These pictures show the scale of the devastation caused by mindless vandals in a Badenoch town at the weekend.
A school crossing patroller’s shelter in Kingussie was thrown into the Gynack burn along with half a dozen flower planters, which usually line the town’s main bridge, and the door to the old courthouse was also damaged.
The flower boxes at Talla Nan Ros hall were destroyed as well, sparking further outrage among residents.
And yesterday, a police spokeswoman confirmed that local officers are “carrying out inquiries” into the incident, which it is thought to happened either on Saturday night or the early hours of Sunday.
Local restaurant and guest house owner, Lydie Bocquillon, said she and her staff have been looking after the flower planters on the bridge.
She responded: “I think it’s disgraceful because we believe it’s been done by locals.
“Volunteers have been trying to make the place look better for us and visitors and things like this, in the middle of the summer, do not help. We are all very busy and we don’t really need this. It will take up time having to buy and re-do all the flowers.”
Local businessman and horse riding centre owner Ruaridh Ormiston, who took the photographs, said: “It’s very disappointing this has happened after all the hard work that goes in from the Kingussie business forum to make the place look nice.
“For this to happen in the middle of the tourist season is not good at all.”
A number of local residents also vented their fury on social media yesterday after seeing the pictures.
One woman, Jean Connell, said: “Shocking behaviour. Hope the police catch them and punish accordingly. Make them tidy up and keep them at it.”
Another, Vivian Haylock, wrote: “That is horrendous as the beautiful gardens help make Kingussie look attractive, for visiting tourists, which the area needs to help bring money into the area. This sort of behaviour does not help. Idiot vandalism.”
Sharon Law added: “This is despicable, loutish behaviour which has no place anywhere.”
