Police probe damage at Robert Burns's burial site

Police have launched an investigation after the final resting place of Robert Burns in Dumfries was damaged.

Scotland's national poet is buried in a mausoleum in the grounds of St Michael's Church in the town.

The incident happened between about 16:00 and 18:00 on Tuesday and left a glass panel on the building's entrance smashed.

Police are keen to hear from anyone who saw anything untoward in and around the graveyard between those times.

Burns was originally buried in a more simple grave in the churchyard in 1796 but it was hard for visitors to find.

Donations were gathered to fund the more grand mausoleum where he was reburied in 1815.

The white structure with a green copper dome stands out more clearly among the other sandstone memorials.

The grave is enclosed by metal and glass panels - one of which has been damaged in the incident.

Derek Love, who lives nearby and walks his dog through the churchyard every day, said he had spotted the damage straight away.

"This really caught my eye first thing this morning," he said.

"It looks like an obvious target but then again you think there is a little respect going on here and this is never going to happen."

He said it was the first time he had seen any damage and described it as "appalling".

"Because I walk through here, I see every tourist from every country and what it does is it spells some kind of disintegration of community and whatever we value as heritage - especially for Burns," he said.

"Every day there are people from all over the world from China, America, Canada.

"I meet them and I talk to them and now I am going to have to explain what has happened here."

A statement from Dumfries and Galloway Council said it was aware of the damage which had been caused to the mausoleum.

"Police Scotland is investigating this incident," it added.

"We have arranged for a clerk of works to assess the damage with a view to making appropriate repairs."