Police investigating arson attack on campsite near Denholm

The Ruberslaw Wild Woods Camping site was targeted on Saturday evening.

Tents were burnt, rubbish was left strewn around and a gate into a field with new-born lambs in was left open.

Campsite manager Nicky Moyes, of Denholm, discovered the mess and destruction on Sunday morning when she and her team went up to prepare for the day ahead.

The arsonists had used a wicker basket, wood shavings and toilet rolls to start a fire in front of a tent, posing a fire risk to nearby Denholm Hill Wood.

They entered the tent but appear to have left empty-handed, leaving the door half open.

Nicky said: “I was shocked to see how they had treated the glamping site, which is called Red Squirrel Ride.

“It is worrying to think people will undo our hard work like this.”

Alan Bailey, a director of the site, a holiday destination for 4,000 people a year, said: “The campsite is a success story, giving jobs to residents of Denholm and Hawick and customers who work for local businesses.

“It is not acceptable to disregard in this way the many community benefits that our staff’s hard work brings.”

Mr Bailey said the incident was part of a trend of thoughtless behaviour affecting the venue, including sabotage of squirrel traps and walking dogs off leads in fields with sheep in.

He added: “Operating our wild camping sites deep in the woods depends on trusting the community not to abuse facilities.

“Let’s hope this can continue and that this is a one-off.”

Police are now investigating the weekend arson attack.