A delivery lorry hit the side of the historic fountain last Friday, causing extensive damage.

Violin shop owner Bob Beveridge says the latest in a series of incidents over the past year — and the most serious to date — is proof that the lines should be removed "as soon as possible."

Mr Beveridge has been campaigning against the lines since they were painted by Fife Council a year ago.

"The argument was that when there were no lines and cars parked there the buses couldn't get round the fountain, so they had to reverse into Cross Wynd, and that was too dangerous a manoeuvre — yet there were no accidents in all those years," he said.

"Since the lines were installed there have been around half a dozen accidents, some fairly serious.

"I have sent lots of photographic evidence to the council about the dangers since the lines were put in.

"I think they should be removed as a matter of urgency."

Anthony Garrett, chairman of Falkland Comm-unity Council, said he had written to Fife Council, asking for a decision to be made on the future of the lines as soon as possible.

"These lines were brought in after a lengthy public consultation process, to help the bus company transporting the school children," he said.

DISTRESSING

"Even if there had been no yellow lines, there is no certainty that there would have been a car parked there to prevent or inhibit what happened on Friday.

"The massive damage to the fountain is extremely distressing and I trust that Fife Council will be acting swiftly to have the fountain repaired and to recover the cost from the culprit's insurer.

"I have spoken to Mr Beveridge and promised him that, if the council and the bus company come back and say they want the lines removed, then I personally will not stand in the way of them being removed."

Howe of Fife councillor, Donald Lothian, said: "The damage to the fountain is very sad indeed.

"The incident brings into sharp focus the vulnerability of the fountain given its location and the number of heavy vehicles that pass it, and also the uncertainly about who owns the fountain and therefore where responsibility lies for maintenance and repairs."

Councillor Lothian added: "There is also clearly an issue about the part that the double yellow lines outside the church played, in that the absence of parked cars encourages lorries to go round the fountain, and I will take this matter up with the council as a matter of urgency."

Stuart Goodfellow of the council's transportation services said: "We are awaiting a report from Fife Constabulary about the incident, which together with our own monitoring information will be used to inform any future decisions.

"If deemed appropriate a range of measures would be considered and discussed with residents and local businesses.

"This is the first incident that we are aware of in which the fountain has been struck since the introduction of the yellow lines."

Fife Council has taken steps to make the fountain safe ahead of undertaking repairs.