GRAFFITI vandals have targeted a park at the centre of a massive row over plans for an aerial assault course.

GRAFFITI vandals have targeted a park at the centre of a massive row over plans for an aerial assault course.

Stencilled red logos of an ape with a pound sign on its head - with the slogan "No Ape" - have appeared on parking meters and signposts in Pollok Park in the South Side of Glasgow.

It's the latest move in a long-running outcry over English firm Go Ape's proposal to build an adventure playground in the trees, with zip wires, rope bridges and ladders, in a three-acre area of the 360-acre park.

The city council is backing the proposal but it has been flooded with 900 letters of objection.

The graffiti was today widely condemned by council bosses and the official campaigners Save Pollok Park.

Bill Fraser, chairman of Pollokshields Community Council and a member of Save Pollok Park, said: "It's ridiculous. We have already written to the council completely disassociating ourselves from this. It's not part of our campaign. We love Pollok Park too much to condone any vandalism.

"If any of our supporters are involved in this we completely disown them.

"We are urging whoever is doing it to stop."

The logo was even sprayed on one of the banners hailing the park's title of Best Park in Britain.

Councillor Ruth Simpson, Glasgow City Council's executive member for land and environment, said: "This sort of behaviour is totally unacceptable. I understand there are people who are against Go Ape and they are perfectly entitled to express their opinion, however this mindless act of vandalism is a step too far.

"Not only are they defacing public property, and at taxpayers' expense, but they are causing severe damage to the very environment they are trying to protect."

As reported in the Evening Times earlier this week, the planning committee has delayed a decision on the plan, opting instead to hold a site visit and a hearing. It says it will allow all sides to have their say.

A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman said it had not had any official reports of the vandalism but said: "Any reports will be thoroughly investigated."

Glasgow City Council can't say at this stage how much the clean-up will cost, but it spends more than £1million a year on graffiti removal.

Tristram Mayhew, chief executive of Go Ape, said: "It is very sad that people are resorting to spraying graffiti in the park.

"It makes you wonder whether some of them are genuinely concerned about the environment at all."