THE warning was given this week that a legacy of the opencast mining industry could claim a young life.

The exceptionally deep ponds at the former Westfield Opencast Site between Ballingry and Kinglassie have been proving popular for youngsters during the school holiday break.

And while the ponds have been fenced off in the shadow of the giant four turbine wind farm at Westfield, people have been cutting through the fencing and have been swimming in the ponds which in some cases could be up to 600 feet deep.

Glenrothes and Kinglassie councillor, Bill Brown, is highly concerned by the revelation by police of the damage being caused to the fencing by fun seeking youngsters.

He told the Times, “The ponds at Westfield are very deep and if someone falls in there is little that could be done to get them out.

“There are no lifebelts hanging for use by rescuers and the they seem determined to get into the area of the ponds and go for a swim.

“It is a very dangerous practice indeed. Not only is the water very deep it contains a lot of dangerous chemical substances which are a remnant of the mining days, and if someone took a mouthful of the water they could feel very sick very quickly.” Councillor Brown added, “There is also evidence of groups of people camping near the ponds. The fact is that some paths have been formed along the edge of one of the ponds and it could easily give-way because it is made of some sort of sandstone.

“If someone was walking in darkness and the path gave way they could be in serious trouble.” Mr Brown made this appeal to parents, “I would ask people in the communities surrounding Westfield, like Benarty, Kinglassie and Cardenden, to spell out to children the inherent dangers of playing near the ponds at the site.

“The ponds are highly dangerous for a number of reasons and even if we were able to get more safety equipment on-site it would not guarantee anyone who fell in any chance of escape.

“The police and authorites at Westfield are trying their best to ensure that no one falls into trouble but the only way we can guarantee success is to ensure that there are no young people playing around near these dangerous places.” Scottish Water reminding people to play it safe in or near rivers, reservoirs and lochs this summer and the Westfield Ponds would come into that category.

A Scottish Water spokesperson said, “While it’s important that youngsters enjoy their school holidays and that people across Scotland take pleasure in the country’s beautiful lochs, rivers and reservoirs, it’s also vital that they stay safe.

“We are reminding parents to keep their children safe and asking adults to act responsibly around watercourses.” The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is backing Scottish Water’s call. Carlene McAvoy, Community Safety Development Officer at RoSPA Scotland, said, “During periods of hot weather and school holidays, there is often a rise in the number of accidental drownings, which is why it is important to be extra vigilant around inland waters, such as rivers, lakes, lochs, quarries and reservoirs. The water can be a lot colder than expected, which can lead to a swimmer going into cold shock; in the worst case, a swimmer will inhale water and the drowning process begins. There may also be strong currents and underwater debris that you cannot see from the bank, so don’t go alone, and consider how you are going to get out of the water before you get in - be honest about your swimming ability.

“We encourage parents and carers to discuss the dangers with their children and to remind them that children should never swim alone at unsupervised locations.”