Strathaven airfield issues runway safety warning to dog walkers

Dog walkers are putting lives in danger by using a private runway to exercise their pets, an airfield owner claims.

Colin MacKinnon, who owns Strathaven Airfield in Lanarkshire, issued a safety plea after spotting a couple and their dogs on their traditional grass runway on Monday.

When he approached them, he said that they told him: “Oh, we were going to move if we saw an aircraft coming in.”

“I was gobsmacked,” the 63-year-old told BBC Scotland News.

“The engines on the airplanes only control the height – not speed like a car – so when they are landing it’s quite quiet,” he added.

The wind can also muffle the sound of the small and light planes as they land.

“We like to encourage everyone to come to the airfield, but safety is paramount,” Mr MacKinnon said.