Two beaches in Fife have been closed as a precaution while a suspected oil spill is investigated.
Environmental health officials are trying to work out the source of the pollution on beaches in the villages of Limekilns and Charlestown.
Residents reported a strong smell of oil on Monday, and pockets of pollution have been seen on the shoreline near the villages.
Fife Council has warned people to avoid contact with the beach and the water.
Environmental health officials from the local authority have posted signs at Limekilns and Charlestown beaches stating it has been “contaminated by an unknown pollutant”.
Forth Ports, which owns the nearby port of Rosyth, said the spill appears to be a light refined diesel.
The firm also said its investigations on the scene suggest the spill came from a drain on the land.
The suspected oil spill has been seen in the Firth of Forth and on the beaches.
Joanna McFarlane, of the Charlestown, Limekilns and Pattiesmuir Nature Conservation Group, said there had been reports of “a really strong smell of oil” on Monday night.
“Then this morning we woke up to this very sad sight of oil on our beach,” she said.
“This beach means a lot to the community here in Limekilns. Our local school has spent many hours helping to clean it and the community comes out regularly for beach cleans, not just for us but for the wildlife on this coastlines.
“But this is out of our hands and I would like to find out who is responsible for it.”
Officials from Fife Council and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) have been at the beaches trying to trace the source of the spill.
Sepa said early indications pointed to an isolated incident “which is not ongoing”.
Fife Council said warning signs had been erected and a clean-up operation had started.
A spokesman for Forth Ports said: “We are currently investigating a reported small oil spill on the beach at Limekilns. It appears to be a light refined diesel.
“On receiving the initial report, Forth Ports immediately sent a pollution response vessel to the area to investigate and nothing was found on the water.
“Subsequent investigations from our on scene response suggest spill has come from a drain on the land. We are working with Sepa and Fife Council on this.”
Dunfermline and West Fife SNP MSP Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This incident is very concerning. Urgent action is needed to ensure that lasting damage isn’t caused to local wildlife and the surrounding environment.
“I’ve contacted Sepa, in order to find out more about the source of this pollution, and the steps that are being taken to address the matter.”
Content provided by the BBC. Original piece can be found here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-47290793