A charitable group has had its storage container damaged by fire.

Prestonpans Bloomers, which operates as a sub-group of Prestonpans Community Council, has been carrying out gardening work at the town’s Cuthill Park, including creating new flower beds and planting shrubs.

However, the group took to Facebook today to share startling images of fire damage to its storage container within the park, with “pretty substantial” damage having been done to equipment inside.

Janis Wilson, member of the group and secretary of the community council, said: “Our volunteers, along with Gill Harman [community development officer at East Lothian Council], have been working tirelessly trying to create a community garden at Cuthill Park, and they've done a magnificent job.

“The garden will have all sorts of veggies and flowering shrubs to attract the bees.

“So, it was extremely disappointing to find that someone had set fire to the metal container. The fire has damaged items inside the container. Items that we worked hard to obtain.

“It was such a fierce fire that plastics inside had melted leaving a toxic smell. We don't yet know the extent of the damage, but it looks pretty substantial.

“Guys, give us a break. We're only trying to make the community a nice place for us all.”

The community council secretary added that the fire had destroyed many of the items in the container.

She told the Courier: "Police have been informed and I'm told its going to be monitored.

"Most of the plastic items at the side the fire was started have melted and bags of soil are unusable and everything stinks of smoke."

DJ Johnston-Smith, chair of the town’s community council, shared the disappointment.

He added: “Very sad news indeed. Volunteers are in such short supply and criminal activities like this can really put folk off giving up their precious time to enhance, improve and beautify different parts of our town.”

An East Lothian Council spokesperson said: "We are aware of an incident at this location and that the matter has been reported to the police."

Police Scotland has been contacted for comment.