A POLICE investigation has been launched into the discovery of a spy camera in the roof space above a changing room in Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh.

Changing rooms were sealed off as police searched the premises following the accidental discovery of the covert camera on Wednesday afternoon.

Fourth-year boys from James Gillespie’s High School in the capital are believed to have dislodged a ceiling tile revealing the camera.

It is not known when it was placed there, nor if the camera had recorded anyone in the changing room which is used by both boys and girls at different times.

Initial internal inquiries have established that council staff were not involved in placing the camera and neither has suspicion fallen upon members of the public who regularly use that particular area of the centre.

One source said that police and centre management suspect it may have been a “one off” attempt to film the dressing room by an opportunistic voyeur.

It is hoped that CCTV cameras in and around the centre may yield some clues as to the identity of the person responsible.

It is not the first time that Meadowbank has had problems with peeping Toms. In 2012, an area of the centre had to have opaque glass fitted after reports of someone taking pictures of young children as they attended a gym class.

The sports centre is run by Edinburgh Leisure, an arms-length company formed by Edinburgh Council to run its sports centres and other recreational and sporting facilities.

Under the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009, it is a criminal offence to commit an act of voyeurism on anyone in a state of undress. There is a separate offence of committing an act of voyeurism against children under the age of 13. The penalty for the first offence can be up to five years jail and for voyeurism against children the maximum penalty is ten years imprisonment.

A statement issued on behalf of Edinburgh Leisure said: “The police are investigating an incident which occurred earlier yesterday afternoon, and all necessary precautions are being taken to ensure it remains an isolated incident. The changing rooms were dual-use rooms and are currently cordoned off, pending police investigation.”

A spokesman for the city council added: “We are assisting Police Scotland with their inquiries.”

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Police in Edinburgh were made aware of a suspicious camera within the Meadowbank Sports Centre changing room. Inquiries are ongoing.”

The stadium was built to host the 1970 Commonwealth Games and is the only venue to have hosted the Games twice as it did so in 1986 as well. It has hosted many top indoor sports such as championship boxing matches and international basketball tournaments. Facilities are outdated, however, and the council is considering a £41 million rebuild of the entire premises.