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Orkney 'vandals' booked on ferry Orkney vandal suspect ruled out
(about 3 hours later)
Police in Orkney are confident they will catch the vandals who scrawled graffiti over one of Scotland's most important archaeological sites. Orkney police looking for a group of tourists in connection with the vandalism of Skara Brae, have ruled them out of their enquiries.
The tourists - one of whom daubed his own name at the Skara Brae site - are booked to travel on a ferry leaving the islands later. Earlier officers stopped a silver coloured people carrier that they had been trying to trace on the island and questioned the occupants.
Officers, who quickly identified the suspects, are planning to question them on arrival at the terminal. However, they say they are satisfied that the group had nothing to do with graffiti found at the site on Tuesday.
The graffiti was discovered at the 5,000-year-old village on Tuesday. Another line of enquiry into the incident is now being followed.
Staff found that the vandals had entered one of the houses and drawn a smiley face, their name and the date with black marker pen, defacing both the dresser and one of the bed posts. Earlier this week staff found that the vandals had entered one of the houses at the 5,000-year-old site and drawn a smiley face, their name and the date with black marker pen, defacing both the dresser and one of the bed posts.
Line of enquiry
They had also written the words "Scouse Celts".They had also written the words "Scouse Celts".
Police said they remained anxious to speak to the occupants of a silver coloured people carrier with registration number LT56 C2J in connection with the incident. Police initially believed the suspect was one of the tourists - who had written their name at the site.
They have appealed for anyone with information on the whereabouts of the vehicle to get in touch. They have now renewed their call for information.
Careful removal Historic Scotland, which is responsible for the upkeep of the world heritage site, said that it was liaising with its conservation centre in Edinburgh to find the best way of removing the graffiti as soon as possible.
Historic Scotland, which is responsible for the update of the world heritage site, said that it was liaising with its conservation centre in Edinburgh to find the best way of removing the graffiti as soon as possible.
"Graffiti removal on buildings of historical or architectural importance needs to be handled sensitively," said a spokeswoman."Graffiti removal on buildings of historical or architectural importance needs to be handled sensitively," said a spokeswoman.
Our visitors have reacted with surprise and sympathy to the damage caused Historic Scotland spokeswoman
"The careful process needs to ensure any long-term damage caused by the graffiti is kept to a minimum and the stone itself is not further damaged as part of the graffiti removal process."The careful process needs to ensure any long-term damage caused by the graffiti is kept to a minimum and the stone itself is not further damaged as part of the graffiti removal process.
The ancient site had been defaced with marker pen
"Our visitors have reacted with surprise and sympathy to the damage caused.""Our visitors have reacted with surprise and sympathy to the damage caused."
The cost - which is expected to be substantial - is not yet known.The cost - which is expected to be substantial - is not yet known.
Skara Brae was first discovered following a major storm in 1850, which battered the island to such an extent that an outline of a series of stone buildings were revealed. Skara Brae was first discovered following a major storm in 1850, which battered the island to such an extent that an outline of a series of stone buildings was revealed.
A series of excavations were carried out over the next century, finally revealing eight stone dwellings that were originally believed to be an Iron Age settlement. A series of excavations was carried out over the next century, finally revealing eight stone dwellings which were originally believed to be an Iron Age settlement.
However in the 1970s radiocarbon dating showed that the village was originally built between 3200 and 2200 BC. However, in the 1970s radiocarbon dating showed that the village was originally built between 3200 and 2200 BC.
Today the ancient village is under serious erosion threat from the sea and Orkney's fierce weather conditions.Today the ancient village is under serious erosion threat from the sea and Orkney's fierce weather conditions.