A HISTORIC trap used to snare people has been stolen from a Scottish abbey.

The device, which was once used to catch poachers and trespassers in the late 1700s and 1800s, was taken from Deer Abbey in Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire.

The trap was located on the entrance wall of the ruined building and is believed to have been stolen sometime between the afternoon of Tuesday June 14 and the following afternoon.

Bosses at Historic Environment Scotland, which maintains the building, condemned the theft.

Peter McGrath, head of physical security at the organisation, said: “Theft from historic sites, whether on our estate or in the wider historic environment, is unacceptable.

“Acts such as this can cause irreparable damage and mean that we can lose pieces of our past forever.”

Police Scotland is investigating and Inspector Rory Campbell said: “Historic sites form an integral part of our cultural heritage and far from being places consigned to the past, they are vibrant and alive, welcoming visitors from all across the globe.

“Inquiries are ongoing into this incident and we are appealing for anyone with any information which may assist us to get in touch.”