A TARBOLTON group are asking for help after their hard work has been ruined by vandals.

The Clean Up Tarbolton Woods Campaign was set up in May 2015 to clear out overgrown plants and rubbish from fly-tippers at Brownies Parlour, which is part of the woodland.

The volunteers made way for a defined path so that people could get through but fairy houses that were painted by children have been stolen.

Samantha Brown, Secretary for the group, said: “By clearing out the Brownies Parlour, we made a path which makes it accessible for links from Tarbolton to Failford.

“In the Brownies Parlour, we have made children’s swings and fairy houses, which encourages people with grandchildren, families and dog walkers to enjoy the area.

“We were donated garden ornaments to paint. On September 16, we were doing a clean-up - the adults cleared the rubbish and the children painted the ornaments and put them in the Brownies Parlour and we nailed them down.

"The following day, one of the children took their family down to see what they had done and somewhere between 12pm and 4pm on September 17, the ornaments had been taken and we don’t know where they have gone. One of the nursery children had found one at the Brownies Parlour by the water.

"It is the fact that it was the children had painted the ornaments themselves. We have a moto – “enjoy not destroy” – we don’t want it to be sabotaged. We have had advice from the police that this is a very serious matter.

“We will continue our work and get more ornaments. We are concentrating on making this a place for the community to enjoy.

“The children are really upset about the ornaments being stolen but we will not be beaten.”

If anyone would like to donate or join the Clean Up Tarbolton Woods Campaign, you can contact Samantha on cutwc@outlook.com and if you have information regarding the stolen ornaments from Brownies Parlour, you can contact the police on 101.