THE heartbroken mum of a teenager who died at Prestonhill Quarry has slammed the “irresponsible” vandals who cut down fences put up to keep people out of the site.

Gillian Barclay's son, Cameron Lancaster, 18, drowned carrying out an 'ice bucket challenge' at the Inverkeithing quarry in August 2014.

Just 10 months later, in June 2015, John McKay, also 18, died at the same spot.

Despite not owning the site, Fife Council has put up fences, but earlier this month, the Press reported that they were being cut down “often as soon as the contractors have left”.

This week, Gillian told the Press: “It's really thoughtless and irresponsible given the tragic deaths there. It's truly sickening. It's a stupid thing to do.

“The council have been doing as much as they possibly can given they don't own the land, so it's Fife Council's money that's being wasted.

“I know the council and police have put up cameras and I hope they find and prosecute the people who did this – it's a criminal offence what they've done.

“I wonder if putting up memorial stones, which has been proposed, might help remind people of what happened there.”

Inverkeithing councillor Alice McGarry confirmed that the fencing at the top of the quarry had been vandalised repeatedly.

She said: “It's been like that for months. The fence has been cut – we don't know who did that but presumably by people who want to walk across the path that the fence blocks.

“The other day there was a big digger in the field – God only knows what it was there for.

“The fence never stopped anyone anyway and the council has no right to stop anyone from the quarry as it's private land. All they can do is put the notices up and warn people.”

There have been claims the vandals are adults, who are removing the fences to enter the site.

Diving clubs train regularly at the quarry but Cllr McGarry said the divers were “extremely responsible”.

She explained: “They remove the sections at the front of the quarry but they always put them back when they're done.

“Any activity that's going on at the front of the quarry is covered by CCTV anyway, so if anybody is doing anything untoward the police will have taken action.

“It's the part at the top that's not monitored. It really needs to be removed because it doesn't serve any useful purpose right now.

“There's no point in repairing the section that's been cut. I don't even know if it can be put back because there's nothing to put back now.

“The council needs to look at whether it can be made secure but I can't see them throwing good money after bad.”

Cameron and John's deaths sparked a campaign for action, with thousands backing a petition calling for the quarry to be drained and filled in.

However, the owners, Letham Bay Developments, have done nothing to secure the site.

Inverkeithing councillor Lesley Laird, depute leader and executive spokesperson for economy and planning, added: “The most recent vandalism to the fence will be reviewed later this week and then will be discussed with local councillors at our ward meeting to agree the best way forward.

“Letham Bay Development are the legal owners and responsible for the site. We are continuing our efforts to pursue them to fulfil their legal obligations.”

A motion was set to be raised at Holyrood yesterday (Wednesday) recognising the work of the multi-agency Fife Water Safety Initiative.

Fife Council, Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the Royal Life Saving Society have been working together to deliver water safety lessons to high school pupils across Fife, starting at Inverkeithing High in November.

MSPs will debate the initiative, with the aim for it to be rolled out across Scotland, and for water safety to be part of the curriculum to help reduce the overall drowning rate.