Security breach at Scots palace

Members of the Royal Family often stay in the Palace when in Scotland

Royal security chiefs have launched an investigation after plans of the Queen's official residence in Scotland were found near a footpath.

Architectural drawings of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, show details of the royal mews and cafe in front of the palace.

A spokeswoman for the palace said the discovery was a security breach which was being taken "very seriously".

It is understood all the areas detailed in the plans are open to the public.

The architect's drawings were discovered under a bush on a path leading to the Water of Leith, in Roseburn, Edinburgh.

Shock discovery

The drawings, with an accompanying letter, were found by the Daily Record newspaper's agony aunt, Joan Burnie, as she took her Jack Russell terrier Polly for a walk.

She told the paper: "Polly saw them underneath a bush on the path and came out with the plans in her mouth.

The plans and the dog that found them

"I took them from her to see what they were and that's when I saw the letter. "I was shocked to see the plans were for Holyroodhouse."

The paper reported the plans showed power ducts, cables and a transformer, as well as the sizes of the gardens and locations for boiler rooms, gas meters, store cupboards, kitchens, toilets and wash areas.

Three public entrances are highlighted and the dimensions of the stable yards and seated terrace areas are given, it reported.

A spokeswoman for the palace said: "We acknowledge this has been a security breach which we are taking very seriously and are currently investigating."

The Daily Record said it would hand the plans to security staff at the palace.

In 2004, a journalist, posing as a workman, managed to bypass security systems and get within yards of the Royal apartments.