Frightened Scots have told of the ‘nightmare’ unfolding in their village amid a rapid rise in anti-social behaviour.
Residents of Gorebridge in Midlothian have said the problem is only worsening, with troublesome youngsters seemingly flocking to the area. There have been reports of assaults, vandalism, verbal abuse and intimidation - leading to some people in the area fearing for the safety of their families.
Edinburgh Live spoke to some of the locals who have witnessed these unpleasant scenes to find out more about the growing issue in the small village. Rebecca Pollock has lived in the Gowkshill area for two years.
She says that there have been countless instances of vile behaviour at the bus stop outside her house - however, recently the problem has escalated, with one of her windows smashed by young thugs on Easter Sunday.
Rebecca said: “My partner has lived in Gorebridge already most of his life and even he has been shocked at the recent sightings. We also have two little ones - our youngest is only 11 months. Throughout our time here we seem to have seen it all.
“There seems to be a fascination with people and this bus stop. You see many groups of underage kids drinking and fighting each other for the infamous bus stop.
“We have also had since living here someone pee on our neighbours doorstep caught on our ring camera, someone stealing my partners old cycling bike and someone else on a different occasion trying to steal from our shed until they have noticed the camera.
“Now the most recent being kids having thrown stones and smashed my living room window - During the day on Easter Sunday so not even late or at night.
“Nothing the police seem to be able to do on any of these matters and most of the time we just have to wait on people getting on the buses, which is also a new issue as some bus drivers have been driving past groups of kids and not allowing them on the bus due to recent antisocial behaviour which creates even more anger out there.”
Groups of youngsters often end up in Gorebrige, with the village being the final stop for multiple busses than head in and out of Edinburgh. Margaret Gallagher, who moved across from one of the bus terminuses two years ago, has said she’s been shocked at what she has witnessed from her window.
She said: “There just always seems to be something going on. Big groups coming from everywhere and they make such a racket – I can hear them from my house.
“A month or so ago I saw this massive crowd all gathered round and shouting. It wasn’t until afterwards when it all cleared my neighbours told me a girl was getting her head stomped on – how disgusting.
“It’s all of a bit of a nightmare, to be honest. I feel like it’s only going to get worse in the summer holidays too. I don’t know how the bus drivers deal with it.”
Police in Midlothian have confirmed that patrols have begun monitoring the area as they look for a solution to the anti-social behaviour crisis. Edinburgh Live spoke to multiple bus drivers operating on the Gorebridge, who all acknowledged that the problem has worsened in recent months.
One driver, who wished to stay anonymous said: “We get support from the police, but police have better things to do. Some of the abuse you get, you wouldn’t believe it. Am I bus driver or a school teacher? We shouldn’t have to deal with this.”
Although the issue is causing concern across the area, some say that young people have been left with little else to do. Monika Gill, a public sociology student who lives in the area and had to chase off some teenagers recently, says more needs to be done to keep them occupied.
Monika said: “I was at the park with my 7-year-old and another kid came over and asked for my help because one of their friends had been hit by a teenager. I took photos of the group to scare them away.
“I wouldn’t let my 7-year-old go out by herself at this age anyway, but as parents in general, we should feel safe enough to let our kids go out. How can a 14-year-old be hitting a 9-year-old with no consequences? The police can’t actually do anything because they’re minors. The situation could really escalate.
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“They have nothing to do. They’re very bored. They’re teenagers. You have to get them engaged so they actually have things to do. You will always get some bad eggs, but I believe that kids can get involved in the community if we give them that option.
“Taking away their bus passes isn’t going to solve the issue. Just because some of them are causing a hassle doesn’t mean all of them should suffer. I’ve thought that we should maybe set up a neighbourhood watch and put on events in community space.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed they received a report of Rebecca Pollock's window being damaged at around 8.50pm on Sunday, April 9. Their enquiries are ongoing.
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