A DUNFERMLINE family claim they were forced to keep their two-year-old daughter indoors after the insulation firm working in their street left seven-inch sharp screws in the street.

Richard Whyte (29) and Nicola Muir (24) claim they were told last week to keep daughter Emily inside after complaining to VolkerLaser of the ‘dangerous’ mess workmen had left in their garden.

Richard said, “We returned from nursery, opened the back door to let our daughter out to play only to be greeted by a pile of rubbish and lying among our daughter’s toys were two seven-inch screws.

“We called the site manager who said that it would be moved in the morning and she sounded somewhat annoyed that we were insisting it be moved as a matter of urgency.

“After mentioning health and safety, a manager arrived at the house who sounded equally annoyed and perplexed that we found this to be a concern, saying to one of the guys that came to tidy that we clearly don’t understand building work is going on.” This wasn’t the first complaint to VolkerLaser the couple had made – Richard’s fiancée, Nicola, told the Press that she spoke to the site manager about lager and cider cans left in the garden and scaffolding blocking their drive which is needed for their disabled parents. The couple also claim that the company left a generator in front of their gate with cables trailing through the front garden.

Nicola said, “I would maybe understand if it was our house that was receiving the service but it is not.

“It is really hard when you have a little one who would like to go out in the garden.

“When I complained they basically told me, ‘It’s a building site – what do you expect?’ “There was foam and bits of concrete that fell off scaffolding onto the ground – there was only little bits but it could have hurt Emily.

“There was scaffolding blocking our drive. My parents and my partner’s parents are both disabled – it took them ages to walk to the house from the car. It took the firm three days to move the scaffolding.

“I have had to close the door on them because I have been so upset about the situation and angry – we don’t know how long it will last as well.”​ Mark Fletcher, contracts manager Scotland for VolkerLaser said, “Firstly I would like to apologise to Mr Whyte and Ms Muir. This is a regrettable but isolated incident. We have taken swift action to resolve and expressed our sincere apologies direct with them.

“VolkerLaser engage in a stringent health and safety policy, this is paramount to our business. We have reviewed our practices and all our operatives have been briefed accordingly.”