DRONE owners in the Borders are being urged by police to stay within the law and act responsibly around wildlife.

The warning follows an incident reported to officers in the St Abbs area of the region last Wednesday (May 9), after a drone was flown close to birds who were nesting on the cliffs.

PC Andy Loughlin, wildlife crime officer for the Lothians and Scottish Borders said: “I would like to urge people to ensure they act responsibly when watching our wildlife.

"Nesting season is a crucial time for our wild birds and we must ensure we give them the space to allow this activity to be successful.

"It can be a criminal offence to disturb or interfere with nesting birds and it is up to each individual to make sure they don’t get too close. Scotland has a very rich and diverse range of wildlife and we must do everything we can to protect it.

"The use of remote drones is an increasingly common pastime and I would like to encourage responsible use and ensure those operating drones abide by any local restrictions which, in some cases, request that drone users do not use them in particular areas."

More information on responsible drone use can be found on the Civil Aviation Authority website, https://bit.ly/2Igyxct