YOUNGSTERS had to be evacuated from a popular playpark after a fire broke out in a neighbouring field, reaching the boundary wall.
Visitors were evacuated on Thursday from Weehailes Playpark and Playful Summer, which involves a number of interactive play zones at Newhailes House & Gardens in Musselburgh.
A spokesperson for the National Trust for Scotland, which runs Newhailes, said: “Yesterday afternoon, we made the decision to evacuate Weehailes Playpark and Playful Summer after a fire broke out in the neighbouring field.
“The fire spread rapidly and, at its closest point, the flames reached our boundary wall.
"The safety of our visitors, volunteers and staff is always our highest priority, and we'd like to thank everyone for following instructions so calmly and patiently during the evacuation.
“We'd also like to extend our sincere thanks to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and all those involved in bringing the fire under control.
“Our thoughts are with the neighbouring farmers, who have suffered the devastating loss of their crop. We know how much hard work goes into producing it and we are thinking of everyone affected.
“Thank you for your understanding and support. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Weehailes and Playful Summer as normal today.”
Newhailes is a Palladian house and a historically significant 17th-century estate that played a prominent role in the Scottish Enlightenment. It was once home to generations of the Dalrymple family.
Within the estate, there are 34 hectares of diverse landscape, from ancient woodlands to parklands.
Newhailes also features one of the last surviving early 18th-century planned landscapes in Scotland, which will be the site for its centenary garden.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We were alerted at 2.29pm on Thursday, August 6, to reports of a small fire in the open near Newhailes Estate in Musselburgh.
"Operations Control mobilised one appliance to the scene to extinguish a fire measuring approximately 100mx250m.
"Crews worked until 3.38pm to make the area safe before leaving the scene."
