They're axeing the guards at Edinburgh Castle

ARMY chiefs are to withdraw sentries from guard duty at Edinburgh Castle this summer.

The Evening News can reveal military top brass are ending centuries of tradition and axeing the guards because they say Army resources are overstretched.

The tactical withdrawal means that the hourly changing of the guard - highly popular with visiting tourists - will no longer take place. The move has provoked outrage among traditionalists who argue the guards are a vital ingredient in the Castle’s success.

Troops from Scotland, Australia, Jamaica and even England have guarded the entrance gate, protecting the Castle and Scotland’s "Crown Jewels" which are stored inside.

But in a dramatic break with tradition, Army chiefs have decided to scrap summer sentry duty on the castle Esplanade.

For the hordes of tourists who visit, the sentry guards are a vital part of the castle’s pageantry and a reminder of its military history. Last year visitor numbers to the Castle fell by over 6 per cent to just over 1 million.

The guards which in recent years has only operated between May and October will now go completely except when there is a royal visitor in the city.

However the Capital’s Festival tsar, councillor Steve Cardownie, today slammed the move. He said: "They would never consider scrapping the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. Although this is on a smaller scale, it is the same principle.

"This is an important part of the visitor experience at Edinburgh Castle and it is very sad that they are now dropping the permanent sentry guards."

Tour guides also branded the decision "crazy", saying that tourists loved watching the changing of the guard every hour.

Wilma Kelloe, director of the Scottish Tour Guides Association, said: "For many visitors, the changing of the guard at the Castle is the first thing they see when they get off the coach in Edinburgh.

"They absolutely love it and it is undoubtedly one of the main attractions of any visit to the Castle. Often the crowd is six to eight deep around the entrance when the changing of the guard takes place.

The guards change around once an hour, with two smartly dressed soldiers marching across the drawbridge to relieve the two duty sentries. It is all done in a formal military style and is fascinating for the tourists. It provides a real link with the Castle’s function as a military facility.

"To scrap it like this is crazy. I hope they reconsider this decision."

An Army spokeswoman confirmed that the round-the-clock sentry guard was being scrapped.

Instead, 12 soldiers will carry out ceremonial duties at the Castle gate when there is a royal visitor in the city.

She explained that the Highlanders regiment are carrying out ceremonial duties this summer and will be extremely busy because it is the Queen’s Jubilee year.

She said: "They will be involved with the Tattoo, with royal duties around Scotland, especially at Ballater, and of course their duties at Edinburgh Castle.

"So we will not be having the round-the-clock sentry guards as we have done in the past. Instead we will have around 12 soldiers carrying out ceremonial duties during royal visits and other special occasions."

A spokesman for Historic Scotland, which runs the Castle as a visitor attraction, said that the decision to remove the 24-hour sentry was taken by the Army.

It was unclear today what new security arrangements would be made to protect the Castle. Inside the Castle are some of Scotland’s most important relics.

The Scottish Regalia, or Scottish Crown Jewels, are on display.

The jewel encrusted crown dates back as far as the 14th century, when it was first worn by Robert the Bruce.

The Stone of Destiny, the ancient coronation stone of Scottish kings, is also on display inside the Castle.