FEARS that a large number of trees in Kelvingrove Park are to be felled have sparked a petition signed by more than 1200 people.

It has been set up by Daryl Tayar who lives in the West End and has stood for the Green Party.

He claims in his online petition that the city council wants to cut down the “majority” of trees in the park and return the popular visitor attraction to its original design.

The website features a photograph of a stretch of the banks of the Kelvin which Mr Tayar claims has recently been cleared of trees.

It says: “Sign this petition to persuade the council to drop this policy and instead protect the wooded areas in the park for the benefit of park users and wildlife.”

Mr Tayar said he recently had a meeting with a representative of the council’s parks department.

He added: “He categorically stated the clear-cutting is deliberate policy to return the park to the original designed landscape by removing trees, including along riverbanks. This will mean a huge number of trees being lost from the park.”

But a council spokeswoman denied there was any plan to fell a large number of trees in Kelvingrove.

She said: "It's inaccurate and an exaggeration to suggest that a significant number of trees would be removed from Kelvingrove Park. The trees that are affected by this landscape improvement programme are self seeded specimens."

The council’s management plan for the park says the willows along the banks of the river are in decline and there is some extensive dieback.

It recommends thinning the trees to allow the better specimens to develop and the removal of “invasive species” such as sycamores.

The report says a second phase of thinning should be carried out a couple of years later with the planting of native trees if necessary.

In 1852, the city bought the land for Kelvingrove at a cost of almost £100,000. It was the first purpose designed and constructed parks in Scotland and quickly became a considerable visitor attraction.