YOBS have turned an ancient city burial ground into a drinking den and public toilet.

Visitors to Glasgow's Southern Necropolis say they are plagued by thugs who regularly gather at the site.

One distraught bypasser told of how she witnessed a teenage lad squatting behind a gravestone, while others have reported seeing people urinating on plots.

The witness told the Evening Times: " This is absolutely disgusting. People are being laid to rest here and you have some idiots using it as a place to socialise and go to the toilet?!

"I just can't believe they have such disregard for the people who are buried there, and their families."

The graveyard in the Gorbals, which was opened in 1840, is home to more than 250,000 graves including a number of war graves.

Campaigners who look after the site say they are constantly clearing up bottles of booze and rubbish left by revellers.

Over the weekend, yob also scrawled on one of the benches at the site's well-known Franciscan circle.

Rick Hart, a founding member of the Southern Necropolis Action Group, said he has seen bottles being thrown at dog walkers and those walking through the burial ground.

Rick said: "I have seen them throwing bottles at an 80-year-old man.

"He used to go in every day three times a day and walk round the graveyard. He's too scared to go in now.

"These people are urinating on graves, defecating on graves.

"They are throwing bottles at dog walkers. We have reported this to the police many times but nobody has been caught.

"These people are creating havoc. Unfortunately it seems like the Southern Necropolis is being left to fall to rack and ruin.

"It seems as if it's just been forgotten about."

Rick and his group scooped an Evening Times Community Champion award for the work they do to clean up the site, regularly doing litter picking and grass cutting to keep the place tidy.

Rick added: "If I'm over there, which I am two times a day, I phone my wife and she phones the police.

"People who have complained to the boys, they have been verbally abused and threatened.

"In the high summer, when it's sunny and warm, that is when they are all out."

A Police Scotland spokeswoman confirmed several reports of antisocial behaviour had been received.

She said: "We received two reports last month in relation to incidents at the Southern Necropolis.

"The officers did attend but on both occasions [those responsible[ had made off.

"We would ask the public who live in the area and who have experienced antisocial behaviour, or have any concerns, to contact the police. "

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