A SPECIALIST contractor is being drafted in to remove a series of graffiti messages left near a Peebles school.

A number of phrases were spray painted on the pavement between Kingsland Primary and Neidpath car park which have caused concern with a member of the public.

The messages, which are in support of trans (transgender) rights, include one message of particular offence – “f**k TERFs [trans-exclusive radical feminists]”.

“I’m absolutely not against any sort of messages from any sort of groups, it’s more that they’ve used such foul language outside a school,” said Jenna Woodrow.

“I just think it’s quite unnecessary and quite inappropriate to be honest.”

Mum-of-two Jenna came across the graffiti on Sunday after parking in the car park with her children, partner, her mum and gran.

She explained that although she has no issue with the act of protest or activism, she doesn’t like the language used being so close to a primary school.

She said: “Graffiti isn’t ideal of any sort, but if they want to get a message across that’s absolutely fine but the foul language outside a school I think is very unacceptable.”

Other messages painted on to the pavement include “trans liberation now”, “end the patriarchy”, and “trans rights”.

“It’s [graffiti] not really portraying the message they want to I don’t think at all,” added Jenna.

“I think it attracts the wrong kind of attention instead of the right sort of attention.”

On Saturday (April 9) thousands of people gathered in London to protest the exclusion of trans and non-binary people from the UK Government’s conversion therapy ban proposals.

The UK Government recently conversion therapy would only include lesbian, bisexual and gay people.

The latest proposals have been widely condemned, and the government’s LGBT+ conference, Safe To Be Me 2022, was forced to be cancelled after hundreds of organisations pulled their support following the partial u-turn.

The graffiti near Kingsland Primary School has been reported to Scottish Borders Council (SBC).

A spokesperson for the local authority told the Peeblesshire News: “We are aware of the graffiti and attempts have already been made to remove it.

“A specialist contractor is being brought in to remove the remaining graffiti.”