SOUTH SIDE residents say weeds as high as 2ft are turning green spaces into drinking dens.

Locals in Pollok and Arden feel their parks have been "neglected" by the council, and say that the weeds are destroying public footpaths.

They also say Househillwood Park is becoming overgrown and unusable as it not being properly maintained.

William Irvine, who has lived in Arden for 12 years, said: "People say it's the tenants making it messy but people have stopped caring as nothing is being maintained and everything is overgrown.

"The council seem to do the very basics here - it's out of control.

"There are overflowing bins, gutters leaking - any repairs that are done don't last very long.

"There are holes in the roads, weeds everywhere, especially down near the Arden shops and the primary school on Kyleakin Road."

A path near Hopeman Drive is also understood to have become so completely overgrown with grass and weeds that it is now no longer visible.

The area, which was once well-used by locals, has become a hot-spot for street drinking and anti-social behaviour, according to residents.

Councillor David McDonald, who looks after the Pollok ward, has criticised the local authority for allowing the area to become overgrown.

He said: "It has been going on for at least a year but for even longer in some parts.

"I get complaints every day about this,

"People started noticing the size of the weeds which are growing beside pavements, 2ft high in some cases. Then from that they spread to any open green spaces, and it just so happened that Pollok has more green spaces than a lot of other places.

"As the council are cutting back on resources, it has left areas like Arden and Househillwood completely forgotten about.

"My constituents feel as if they are forgotten communities. You walk through the Botanic Gardens and you won't see this."

A council spokesman said: "Work is carried out on a planned maintenance schedule. Work in this area is already scheduled."

hannah.rodger@ eveningtimes.co.uk