SHOPKEEPERS in Tranent have spoken at their shock after a pregnant woman lost her baby following an alleged assault at a bus stop on the town's High Street.

It is alleged that she was pushed off the bus stop's bench on Friday evening. On Tuesday, her husband informed residents via social media that she had subsequently had a miscarriage.

READ MORE: Pregnant woman loses baby after Tranent High Street assault

That incident came a week after another incident involving youths in the town, when Lothian Buses was forced to divert services after three buses were allegedly damaged. Two boys have been reported to the Youth Justice Management Department in relation to that incident.

Meanwhile, on Thursday afternoon, police announced that two 13-year-old boys had been charged in relation to the incident involving the pregnant woman.

READ MORE: Two boys charged after alleged assault on pregnant woman

On Wednesday, the Courier went from door to door speaking to businesses about what needed to happen to make the town's High Street a place where residents could shop, travel and enjoy themselves safely. 

Steven and Yvonne McMaster, co-owners of S & Y McMaster Master Butchers, where among those who spoke to the Courier. 

They said: "It is absolutely shocking to hear that a woman has lost her unborn child.

"The damage done to the buses was bad, but something has to be done about this poor woman losing her child. 

"We get the fantastically mannered young people in our butchers but it is the minority who are giving them a bad name.

"Free bus passes either need to be taken off the people who are causing trouble or all of them only get to use them during term time.

"Our customers come from all parts of East Lothian, Midlothian and even sometimes from Edinburgh, and it would be sad to see them going somewhere else because of these very serious incidents.

"We need more of a police presence during the day and night, rather than just the day."

READ MORE: Police officers called out as three buses are 'damaged'

Shazad Ahmed, owner of Phone Express, has taken it upon himself to install his own CCTV camera, set up after a theft in his store, and the recent anti-social behaviour on High Street does "concern" him. 

In July 2023, he told the Courier that he had a masked man with a hammer smash a cabinet and make off with £2,500 worth of goods. 

He said: "I actually installed my own CCTV set up to deter any other people from targeting my shop." 

On the most recent anti-social behaviour, he told the Courier: "The damage to the buses is very worrying, and one of my colleagues actually witnessed the incident just outside of my store.

"I personally did not know about the incident with the woman who lost her baby but my thoughts are with her and her family at this time." 

READ MORE: Tranent: Masked man with hammer steals £2,500 worth of goods from shop

Morena Clark, owner of The Good Beauty Club, said: "I am really worried about the increase in anti-social behaviour.

"I think it is a real sad state of affairs that a couple have lost their child and the damage done to buses on Tranent High Street has happened in just a matter of weeks of one another."