A WORKER at a Rosyth business situated next to The Yard fears that locals are "sitting on a ticking timebomb".

Aitch Taxis sits directly between the former pub and Shell petrol station at Admiralty Road and drivers fear the derelict pub could go up in flames.

They say they have witnessed an escalation in vandalism by youths in the last three months who have set numerous fires.

And now they're worried for the safety of the business and the owner and his wife who also live there.

A worker, who wished to stay anonymous, told the Press: "The last three months have been absolutely horrendous.

"They break in to the pub and the football ground, kick walls down and think it's funny to start a fire next to a petrol station.

"I mean if the wind just blows a certain way ...

"The owner feels really uneasy about it.

"It's like sitting on a ticking timebomb because it will go up in flames.

"They're an absolute nuisance and have also broken into our cars.

"But if the police don't catch them there's nothing they can do.

"They board the place up but a couple of days later it's all been pulled down again.

"The structure of The Yard is unsafe, a couple of years ago the roof blew off.

"I have no idea why they go in there – I've stuck my head in and it's disgusting."

Police urged parents to talk to their children about the dangers of going into the building this week after officers were called out twice on Monday due to youths in the building.

This was just days after a fire there.

Rosyth Community Council has had a commitment from the owners of the land that The Yard and junior football ground will be demolished by the end of the month.

There have also been similar problems at the former social work building at Park Road. Councillors were informed that yet more fires had been set in the building last weekend.

"Kids are getting in through the roof, which is the responsibility of the owners to secure," chairman Danny Hughes said.

"The biggest fear is that we're going to have a death if they set a fire and get trapped.

"The problem is that property developers are just not really interested. If it's not affecting their pocket, they don't care."