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By Editor in {CATEGORY} on 29 Apr 2010

Controversy over Donald Trump's planned Aberdeenshire golf resort has taken a sinister new twist after the site was hit by vandals in a $100,000 wrecking spree.

Newly planted grass has been ripped out, fences torn down, diggers damaged and thousands of litres of diesel fuel contaminated.

Trump International Scotland, which is masterminding the £1 billion development on the Menie Estate, north of Aberdeen, said: "There's been a pattern of mischief on the site."

Executive vice-president Sarah Malone said: "These are deliberate, appalling acts of vandalism that have taken part on environmentally sensitive areas of the estate."

The damage, which was found on Monday but not announced until yesterday, covered nearly 11,000sq ft of marram grass and 500ft of fencing.

The grass was pulled out from an area which will form the 15th green, which is the responsibility of head greenkeeper Paul O'Connor. Fencing bordering it was also pulled down.

A day before, two JCB diggers were wrenched open and wires ripped out, while their batteries were removed and sand was poured into their engines

More than 3,000 litres of diesel was also rendered useless by being contaminated with what is thought to be sugar.

The sabotage comes weeks after six acres of grass and dune land caught fire from an abandoned barbecue. It is not known if this was an accident.

Mr Trump is embroiled in a furious row with residents, some of whom are threatened with eviction if their homes are compulsorily purchased.

But a public relations expert warned Mr Trump not to further alienate locals by blaming them for the vandalism.

See full story in The Scotsman

Read more articles in {CATEGORY}, by Editor or from April 2010.