Child records, including photographs and personal details of nursery children have been found in a skip outside their old nursery. The dumped paperwork includes names, dates of birth and detailed learning plans, along with other confidential information including parental consent forms complete with signatures.

Staff details were left outside too, with personal details, contact numbers and P45s.

Iain Morrison, a local father, made the discovery outside the former Three Bears nursery in Dunfermline. He said, “The building is on a main street in the middle of the town and the skip was right outside. There was a personal development plan for a child born in 2009 which included a name, date of birth, photo and details on development. I was conscious that it was data which should not have been left lying about in a public place. The paperwork has been taken to a secure location ahead of disposal.”

Businessman David Austin plans to convert the building into a microbrewery and bar.

He said: “To my knowledge, anything which was of a sensitive nature was disposed of properly. We must have cleared out 1000 box files – but every one of them was emptied of any paperwork which we felt was of a sensitive nature. After the nursery closed, the landlord issued an open invitation to any parents to come along and collect anything they wished.”

Helen King, whose triplets attended the nursery, said: “I find it appalling that material relating to the staff or children was left in a skip like this. It’s a very shabby state of affairs. Some of the parents, including myself, managed to get our personal belongings and paperwork – but that was through our own efforts.”

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