HISTORIC Environmental Scotland (HES) has urged those with information to go to the police after Dunfermline Palace was plastered with sickening graffiti.

An extremely offensive slogan was written on the historic palace beside the Pends archway some time over the earlier part of this week.

Dunfermline Abbey and Palace are the remains of a great Benedictine abbey founded by Queen Margaret in the 11th century, with HES deploring the "heritage crime" that took place. 

A spokesperson said: “We are aware of the vandalism at Dunfermline Abbey and Palace and the matter has been reported to the police and our applied conservation team will work to remove it.

“Heritage crime such as this is a serious matter, damaging our monuments and cultural assets as well as our proud historical connections to the past.

“We would urge anyone with information on this matter to report it to the police.”

A ruined former Scottish royal palace and important tourist attraction in Dunfermline, the palace and abbey are under the care of Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument.

Fife Council officers are also dealing with graffiti of a sectarian nature near Fife Leisure Park.

Constituents reported the incident to Dunfermline South Councillor James Calder who said the writing was where Sandpiper Drive meets Sanderling Way and near the Shepherd Offshore site.

Cllr Calder said: “All graffiti is completely unacceptable but it is particularly dreadful to see graffiti of a sectarian nature.

“I have raised this with council officers who are investigating but I would rather we did not have to deal with this at all.

“If anyone has any information on who may have done this, I would urge them to get in touch with the police.

“Sectarianism has no place in Dunfermline.”