A SUBWAY stooshie is brewing in Glasgow after workmen removed a traditional archway and sign from an underground station.

The distinctive signage at Cessnock Subway was removed by workers as part of the city's £300million plan to modernise the underground network.

But within hours, locals took to social network Twitter to voice their displeasure at what some called an act of 'urban vandalism'.

Some even put up handmade posters outside the station calling for Glasgow Subway to put the sign back in place.

One poster read: "We love Cessnock sign...put it back!!"

Twitter users have been using the hashtag #savecessnocksign to raise awareness and have been bombarding Glasgow Subway's account with calls to put the sign and arch back in place.

And drivers were urged to hoot as they drove past the station on Paisley Road West to show their support for the campaign.

One Twitter user, Mary Easton, said: "Style loses out to corporate anonymity."

Another, Alison Campbell, responded to Glasgow Subway's suggestion that the arch would be rehomed by saying: "It's designed to match attached building, it has a home."

The Twitter pressure resulted in Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) - which runs the subway system - issuing a response via the social networking site.

SPT said it had put on hold plans to remove a second archway and insisted the planned upgrade will include a heritage preservation strategy.

An SPT statement added: "Despite the fact they (the arches) may not be considered as architecturally significant - they are a pastiche rather than an original Greek Thomson or Rennie Mackintosh design - we do appreciate that they have been a key part of the area since 1989 when they were installed.

"One arch has already been safely dismantled and put into storage and we are currently considering the removal of the second."

City councillor David Meikle said: "The Cessnock signs are an iconic part of the subway and this act of vandalism has angered many people across Glasgow.

"I call on SPT to listen to the public, elected members and the Save Cessnock Sign campaign group on this issue and keep the second sign but also reinstate the sign which has been removed."

Other politicians, including Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, have also got behind the campaign.

stef.lach@heraldandtimes.co.uk