AN underpass in Glasgow city centre has been daubed in vile graffiti - less than two weeks after it was transformed into a work of art.

The passageway leading to Cowcaddens Subway from West Graham Street was given a radical makeover by artist Ruth Barker.

But just 10 days later vandals sprayed gang tags, swastikas and National Front symbols on the walls and roof.

The shocked community today said they would fight back against the yobs.

Councillor Gordon Matheson said: "These mindless fools who have chosen to deface this piece of public art will not win the day."

The short walkway was a well-known target for graffiti artists from all over Britain and was even featured on a graffiti website.

But the striking new work, titled The Shores of the Familiar, aimed to make the passageway less threatening for commuters and pedestrians.

People using the underpass were disgusted by the graffiti.

Mother-of-two Jennifer McSorley, 42, of Cowcaddens, said: "I passed the artwork a couple of times and thought it was a really good way of brightening the place up.

"I didn't think it would take long before being done again but this time the vandalism is terrible."

The life-size installation featured 15 pen and ink drawings of plants and waterlife lit up by panels of ultraviolet light.

The work was commissioned by Glasgow City Council and British Waterways Scotland, as part of a scheme to revitalise the link between Forth and Clyde Canal and the city centre.

It was unveiled by Mr Matheson and children from Garnetbank Primary School in Garnethill.

Mr Matheson said today: "I'm bitterly disappointed but not disheartened. It will not undermine my efforts or those of the community to make our environment cleaner and better.

"The graffiti will be removed and the artwork restored to its pristine condition. If it is done again it will be removed again, the vandals will not break our spirit."

Council bosses said the swastika and graffiti was removed soon after the Evening Times reported the vandalism. The incident has also been reported to police.