A bush thief and vandals are terrorising gardens at an Ayrshire park.
The green-fingered shrubbery snatcher has removed two of the rhododendron bushes from the idyllic gardens at Belleisle Park, Ayr.
The greenery is attached to a peg and metal wiring at the park to deter thieves at the Ayr beauty spot.
It was first feared the wiring left behind was an ‘illegal’ trap but bosses at the council park have confirmed instead the bushes had been removed with the pegs left in their place.
It comes after vandals trashed information signs at the park forcing the council to remove one of them.
The signs, which help visitors navigate around the huge estate, were left with extensive damage along the sides of it.
Council bosses say they were working with police to help deter vandals.
Charity Friends of Belleisle have been left shocked by the bizarre theft of some of the park’s most prized bushes and dismayed by vandals.
Olena Stewart who chairs the organisation wrote to South Ayrshire Council that fears were raised that the trap-like pegs were a danger to others.
Speaking to Ayrshire Live, she said: “I went to the park to check out what people feared were traps, but soon found out from the council that they are there for the plants.
“When the council had planted them they put these devices on them so they can’t be easily removed.
“But there’s at least two bushes gone - it appears that someone has helped themselves to bushes.”
Olena fears the vandalism at the start of the month and now the thief is a show of disrespect to the beautiful Belleisle.
She added: “It is quite shocking — the park is for everybody to use.
“The council works hard keeping it nice for us — it is quite sad that somebody would think of stealing plants.
“At the start of the month we had vandals trying to destroy the signs which are key for visitors coming to the park.
“The one at the Greenfield Avenue entrance has been removed because of the actions of these vandals and it is not welcome in our park.”
A spokesperson for South Ayrshire Council said on bushes being stolen: "Pegs are used to deter thieves from stealing plants. In this particular case, the plant has been removed which has left the peg exposed. This has now been removed by our grounds maintenance team."
On vandalism a spokesperson added: "Information boards in Belleisle Park in Ayr were recently vandalised. This has resulted in one of the signs being removed for repair. We continue to work in partnership with Police Scotland to tackle anti-social behaviour."
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