Abandoned tents found untouched after wildfire

An abandoned camp site has been found with its tents undamaged in the middle of an area of south west Scotland ravaged by recent wildfires.

Galloway Mountain Rescue Team (GMRT) set off from Glentrool on Tuesday evening to check a number of potential locations where belongings might have been left behind by people forced to evacuate.

They found one camp still standing with the tents untouched and just a damaged melted fishing rod nearby.

No trace was found of the two remaining possible camp locations.

Wildfires broke out in the area last week resulting in a number of families camping around the lochs being forced to evacuate - leaving their belongings behind.

The area was badly affected for a number of days before the incidents were finally brought under control.

GMRT was made aware of three possible camp locations where items might have been left behind - the furthest of them a four-mile walk across terrain that "as far as the eye could see, had been scorched by fire".

"Upon reaching the first location, we were met with an unexpected sight - camp one was still standing," said a statement from the rescue team.

"Aside from a single melted fishing rod, everything remained intact.

"The fire had completely surrounded the tents but, remarkably, left them untouched."

Efforts continued to locate the remaining two camps but no trace could be found by the seven rescue team volunteers.