THE couple who created a popular children’s play area in a Helensburgh woodland have expressed their shame after the attraction was targeted by vandals.

The kids-friendly fairy house tree in Duchess Wood was found damaged on Monday morning (October 5) by Lila Raeside, who first decorated it with partner Brian Goudie around Easter.

Lila, who lives in Helensburgh, said she and Brian, who lives in Shandon, went to add more decorations to the tree when they came across the door of the fairy house, which had been wrenched off, and flowers lying in the mud. The letterbox had also been removed from the wooden door.

READ MORE: Police appeal as Helensburgh car's windows smashed and all four tyres punctured

She told the Advertiser: “We met a man who said about 15 youths were drinking near the tree the night before, on Sunday night.

“We did find some bottles and cans dropped near it.

“There was mud on the door and the ivy with flowers had been ripped off. We took everything away and only a few things are left on the tree now.

“Who would do this?”

Lila said she was “so sad to see what had happened” to the tree that she didn’t take any pictures of the damage.

She added: “Brian made the door really secure in case it caused harm to any children so it must have taken some effort to wrench it off.

“It’s such a shame as it was popular with children.

READ MORE: 'Littering is a disease': Farm owner's fury after heaps of rubbish left on land

“We thought it would be nice for my grandchildren and the local children, as there is so much gloom just now with Covid, and it gave children something to do.”

Helensburgh Central councillor Lorna Douglas, who was the chair of the Duchess Wood local nature reserve committee until Argyll and Bute Council’s management of the woods ended in July, said she hoped the latest act of vandalism was a one-off.

She said: “There have been issues of vandalism in the woods before but all has been quiet for some time.

“The last time the police visited the woods on occasions and it seemed to stop.

“I hope this is not a resurgence of vandalism that needs police involvement.”

Click here for all the latest headlines from across Helensburgh and Lomond