A solar panel was stolen from a gauging station on the River Tweed just weeks after the area was on flood warning.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has warned that such "utterly selfish" thefts risk stopping flood warning information and preventing it being received on time.

The stolen solar panel, which is used to charge the batteries for the station in Glenbreck, did not result in the station being out of operation.

Nigel Goody, SEPA's Hydrometry Manager, said: "This may have been seen by the thieves as a quick way to make a couple of pounds, but for the local community this was a dangerous and utterly selfish act. Unfortunately we are seeing an increase in this kind of thing happening across the country and we need help to stop it.

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"Stealing these pieces of equipment could have an impact on our ability to provide communities with essential flood warning services."

A SEPA worker realised the panel was missing when he went to the station to find out why the batteries were not recharging. Analysis of remotely accessible information shows that the solar panel was stolen some time between 5.30am on Tuesday 24 and 5.00am on Wednesday 25 July.

Nigel warned: "If this had happened in the middle of a flood event there is a risk we couldn't have got to the site early enough and that would mean that information didn't get to us on time."

Gauging centres link to Scotland's Floodline 0845 988 1188 service.

(NE)