Community activists have been overwhelmed with frustration as relentless dumping continues in Ferguslie Park.

Rubbish has piled up in Crawfurd Drive – just off Bankfoot Road – which volunteers suspect could have come from outwith the area.

Terry McTernan runs Darkwood Crew, a sub-group of Ferguslie Community Council which is dedicated to cleaning up the environment.

He said volunteers are becoming demotivated by consistent fly-tipping.

He said: “Darkwood Crew have been working really hard over the last year or more tackling the environmental issues faced by the community, they’ve transformed the village green as part of Renfrewshire Council’s Team Up to Clean Up campaign.

“The group was awarded caddies to assist with this work and we are now starting to see the caddies being used by newly emerging groups in the Woodvale and Tannahill areas.

“Attitudes really have changed and instances of fly-tipping have all but been eradicated.

“The group now have plans to establish a growing area/community garden adjacent to Darkwood Court.

“But this week, one of our volunteers discovered a trailer packed with what looked like commercial waste on the now unused Crawford Drive.

“We received messages from concerned residents that it was a fire hazard. Wardens and police were called, however the mess remains.

“The same night on her way home a volunteer noticed a white transit van had returned, presumably to collect the trailer.

“The next morning the trailer load was strewn all across the road. The trailer was gone.

“Upon inspecting the rubbish there are letters with addresses in Govanhill, giving the impression this is commercial dumping.

“It’s very demotivating for the volunteers and has implications on the massive steps forward the community are making to improve the environment.”

Mr McTernan believes a more effective strategy needs to be implemented to tackle fly-tipping.

He added: “This is a really exciting time for Ferguslie given the recent green spaces funding awards, as well as other investments from Paths for All, Sustrans and Action Earth and we are fearful this may impact future investment.

“It’s a real shame that local attitudes have changed but wider negative perceptions surrounding Ferguslie Park persist. We are grateful for all the support we continue to receive but we need the community to be vigilant and a more effective strategy to be put in place to combat this growing problem.”