A group of travellers have been urged to show “respect” after setting up camp just a few feet away from an Aberdeenshire graveyard.
Around seven caravans and accompanying vehicles appeared in one of the private fields overlooking Fetteresso Cemetery, close to Stonehaven yesterday.
Earlier this week, a number of travellers were evicted from the car park of the nearby Dunnottar Woods.
The new encampment is now highly visible from almost every part of the cemetery, and north-east MSP, Lewis Macdonald, has called for the graveyard’s new neighbours to show proper respect to the dead and their families.
Mr Macdonald said: “What is required in this situations is balance. Travellers have rights, but at the same time so do local communities.
“I have met a great many members of the travelling community all across the north-east, and a great deal of them conduct themselves in a very considerate manner, however others do not.
“It can be very upsetting when travellers are disrespectful, untidy and noisy, so I can understand why people who have loved ones buried at Fetteresso might be concerned about this new encampment.
“Anyone with loved ones in the cemetery would want the assurance that anyone in the vicinity of the graveyard would show full respect.
“So I think the question here will be if these travellers are indeed respectful – but the idea of parking right next to a graveyard doesn’t strike me as a particularly respectful thing to do.
“They must make sure they do not stay there long, and not leave a trace of their presence behind when they leave.
“Clearly, it would be incredibly wrong to leave a nasty mess visible on a hillside close to so many people’s final resting places.”
A spokesman for Aberdeenshire Council said officers will visit the site, meet with the owners of the encampment, and provide advice to landowners if required.
He also confirmed that eviction was not an option because the travellers are on private land.
A police spokeswoman said: “We have been made aware of an encampment in the Fetteresso area and officers have attended the site in keeping with routine practices.”