A Fife councillor claims residents of a fishing village are living in fear after a string of deliberate fires and a “Godfather-style threat”.
A dead deer was dumped in the doorway of West Wemyss Boat Club the night before the building was set alight in May.
And some villagers believe it was a reference to the Francis Ford Coppola blockbuster The Godfather, starring Al Pacino and Marlon Brando, where a horse’s head is left in a character’s bed as a sign of intimidation.
The fire at the harbourside club is one of four in the small community in the past three weeks.
And it’s the second at the club itself in just over a year.
A derelict doocot just yards from the harbour has also been hit three times since the start of the month.
Labour councillor Tom Adams, who lives in the village, says people are convinced the incidents are part of a targeted vendetta.
He said: “We don’t have a clue who’s behind this.
“But we think there’s been a falling out involving fishermen from outwith West Wemyss.”
Fears West Wemyss fishing boats will be next
Mr Adams added: “The boat club was burned down last year and it’s now been wrecked again.
“The doocot borders the old Wemyss Chapel Garden and is really, really old. It’s now ruined.
“We don’t know what’s going on but the villagers are living in fear.
“Boat club members are particularly worried and everyone is wondering if the boats will be next.
“There’s also a whole host of derelict buildings in the area, including the old Belvedere Hotel.
“If one of them goes up, we could have a disaster on our hands.”
Dead deer compared to The Godfather
Mr Adams said the dead deer appeared in the doorway of the boathouse the night before it burned down for the second time.
“It wasn’t just dumped. It was a road kill and it was left in a sitting position with its head up,” he said.
“The whole village is talking about it.
“They’re all coming up with the same theory. They’re likening it to The Godfather and saying there’s definitely a vendetta against the club.”
West Wemyss has a population of less than 250 and many of the people who live there are elderly.
And it hit the headlines at the start of the 2020 lockdown when someone erected a huge banner with the words: “Visitors f*** off #stay home, corona free”.
Police are aware of the recent fires and are investigating.
Regarding the latest blaze, a spokesperson said: “Around 6.05pm on Tuesday June 13, we were made aware of a fire in a derelict building in Chapel Gardens, West Wemyss.
“It was put out by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and no-one was injured.
“It is being treated as wilful and enquiries are ongoing.”
