The football pitch was fenced off about three or four weeks ago because the pitch is going to be resurfaced as part of ongoing improvements in the park.

Local resident Doris Sofio, chairperson of Milngavie Crime Prevention Panel, said: "About 44 wooden posts were merely stuck into the ground, with wire stapled on to them.

"That meant there was no entry for the footballers, so of course they have been climbing over the wire to enter the pitch.

"Next vandals came along. The wire has been cut and is strewn all over the path and a post is lying on the ground while others are loose.

"The problem is that youngsters will still try to climb over and they could really hurt themselves.

"This is now extremely dangerous and residents are wondering what is happening."

A spokesperson for East Dunbartonshire Council said: "As part of our pitch renovation programme we are currently trying to re-seed this area, top up the soil and generally reverse the signs of wear and tear which have developed over the last three years when the kick-about area has been very well used by the local community.

"The fence is designed to keep people off the area so that the grass seed has an opportunity to germinate but unfortunately the fence has been damaged and the seed is being disturbed. It has been vandalised several times and we are currently reviewing the situation at the park."