A woman has been left shocked by the destructive vandalism at a park in Rutherglen.
Shannon Salsera was horrified when she was walking through Overtoun Park and spotted the Queen Victoria Jubilee fountain had been severely damaged. She said that incidents of vandalism seem to be more frequent.
Speaking to Glasgow Live, Shannon said: "Every time they try to maintain or beautify the park it gets vandalised.
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"I walk in the park every day, and this is what I witness. The council used to do the flowerbeds and people would steal the bedding plants the same day they went in.
"Another person told me they saw an adult doing a round of golf practice by whacking golf balls at the bandstand just after it had been refurbished.
"I stopped kids trying to set fire to the zip line seat for goodness sake, a five year old with a lighter in the company of eight year olds.
Shannon claimed effort to make the park a more welcoming place for avid walkers and nature lovers have also been destroyed by yobs with some saplings being snapped shortly after being planted. Shannon is worried that if the disruption isn't stopped someone could be seriously injured.
She said: "When the trees were planted last year some kids went along and snapped many of them the first week they went in.
"I’ve avoided injury when a shopping trolley was hurled down the hill by teens just as I rounded the corner and managed to jump out of the way.
"A pensioner or a mother with a pram would not have been so lucky."
Now the angry park lover is calling on more people to report the incidents to ensure that the vandalism comes to an end.
Shannon said: "The police say that people need to phone in anti-social behaviour and vandalism more often in order to get more patrols in the area because at present no one is reporting it.
"So, on paper , it looks like Overtoun park is a calm area so no one is dispatched there .
"This is a question of education and respect for others plain and simple in my opinion - adults and kids alike. Until that is addressed nothing will change. It’s very disheartening."
South Lanarkshire council have been made aware of the damage caused by the vandals.
Kevin Carr, the head of the council’s Facilities Waste and Grounds Services, said: “It is always disappointing when vandalism occurs and is upsetting for everyone who come to the park.
“This mindless vandalism was reported to us by the police and we are currently assisting them with their investigation.
“I would urge anyone with information on this or any other act of vandalism to contact the police.
“We are assessing the damage caused and will make the area affected safe until the facilities are able to be restored.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 12.50pm on Sunday, 8 January, we received a report of vandalism at Overtoun Park, Rutherglen. Enquiries are ongoing.”
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