AN INVERKEITHING councillor fears that youths are risking their lives by jumping into the water at an abandoned quarry in Inverkeithing.

Two 18-year-olds have drowned there in recent years and David Barratt is concerned history could repeat itself after video footage emerged of teenagers leaping from the cliffs at Prestonhill.

Around 100 youths were drinking alcohol and playing music at the quarry on Friday, and there was also a fire at the site on Saturday evening that was blamed on youngsters.

Cllr Barratt added: "I'm aware that the police were called but they can't be there 24/7.

"I'm dreading the emergency services going there for anything more serious.

"When you think what's happened there before it could be the next death.

"Parents in the area need to be conscious of where their kids are going and make sure they're not mucking about in a place like that."

A campaign to drain and fill in 'Scotland's most dangerous quarry' was launched by Gillian Barclay after her son, Cameron Lancaster, died in August 2014.

The 18-year-old from Burntisland drowned after jumping into the water as part of an ‘ice bucket challenge' .

Ten months later, in June 2015, another 18-year-old, John McKay, from Kirkcaldy, lost his life there.

And in July 2017, Edinburgh schoolteacher Kelda Henderson, 36, died while diving at the site.

Sergeant Scott Maxwell, from Dalgety Bay police station, said: "Officers attended at Prestonhill Quarry after a report of a large gathering received shortly after 6.10pm on Saturday.

"A number of people were spoken to and the gathering dispersed a short time later and there was no further police action needed.

"We have received no reports of people jumping into the water over the weekend.

"However, such behaviour is incredibly dangerous and it should go without saying that you should not put your own life or that of others in danger by entering a quarry."

Cllr Barratt, who represents Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay, saw for himself a large group of about 100 people drinking alcohol and playing music at the site on Friday evening.

He said: "Ordinarily, that's not too much of an issue but it's not a great place to be drinking and then thinking about diving into the water given its history.

"I know it was going on over the weekend too.

"It's not a safe place for the behaviour that's going on there."

He said Fife Council had spent money fencing the site off but it kept getting pulled down.

The councillor added: "It's not sustainable to continue fencing off land that we don't have ownership of."

A year ago, quarry owners Prestonhill Developments Ltd told the Press that they wanted to create “something worthwhile” with a diving centre and 100 new homes at the site.

Last month, they said they were preparing a planning application.

Cllr Barratt said: "I know there are mixed feelings about housing there but it's an opportunity, if done right, to secure the quarry in a much better way.

"It should be a resource but it needs to be properly managed, with development it potentially could be."

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 8.34pm on Saturday, May 30, to reports of an outdoor fire at Prestonhill Quarry in Inverkeithing.

"One appliance was mobilised to the area, where crews extinguished a fire involving an area of gorse. Crews left at 8.52pm.”

Sergeant Maxwell told the Press: "We will act on any information we receive and regularly carry out patrols of areas of concern.

"I would also urge parents and guardians to make sure that they know where their children are, who they are associating with and what they are doing.

"It is also worth highlighting that at the current time, the regulations are clear about gathering with people from other households.

"We are asking people, whatever their age, to take personal responsibility to do the right thing and remember the purpose of these measures is to aid the collective effort to protect the NHS and save lives by preventing the virus from spreading."