A “SAD” and “dilapidated” play park is in desperate need of an overhaul, parents have claimed.

Families surrounding Bellahouston Park have hit out at a lack of investment in the play area which has now been left to “fall into a state of disrepair”.

The small play area houses only a handful of toys, however, several of them are showing signs of decay.

Claire Peterson, who lives in a flat on Paisley Road West close to the park, said it’s forcing families to travel further afield.

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The mum-of-two said: “I have a five and three-year-old so getting them outside to blow off some steam is essential but, at the same time, my husband takes our car for work, so I really need somewhere local.

“Times are tough, families are looking for something cheap – or, ideally, free – and it just feels so sad to me that it's been left to such a sorry state. It’s totally dilapidated.

“We can’t even put the kids on the swing because my eldest doesn’t fit in it, it’s only a baby swing, but my youngest can’t go in it either because it’s been ripped apart.”

Inside the park, the swing has currently been duct taped – although it’s not known who by – in a bid to restore it after it was torn apart.

Meanwhile, nails are poking through on the rocket ship climbing frame, parts of other toys are chipped and crumbling, and a lack of pathways to the individual structures leaves children wading through long grass to reach the devices.

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Mum Holly MacPhail said she now makes the extra jaunt to the Palace of Art play park after dropping her eldest two children at school in Mosspark.

“My youngest, Eliza, is only two so she still needs the baby swing but it’s been totally ripped up,” the 32-year-old said.

“My partner always says I should take the kids through to Victoria Park as it’s much better, but it bothers me that I can’t have a good facility close to where I live.

“We’ve started going to the park a bit further up and it’s not as bad but it’s a bit trickier to access with the car, yet it’s also a much further walk so it’s just irritating really because it’s totally dilapidated.”

Glasgow City Council said it would move to make faulty equipment safe.

A spokesperson said: “All of the play areas in Bellahouston Park will be included in the process that allocates Glasgow’s share of the national £50m fund for play area renewal.

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“This funding is due to be received over the next three years and we are very hopeful this will help us undertake significant improvements to play areas across the city, including at Bellahouston Park.

“Through our parks and open spaces fund, we have also allocated £1.5m of funding to area partnerships to identify and support local priorities with decisions on spending taken by the partnerships directly.

“Our play areas are routinely checked by our parks staff and any faulty equipment will be made safe until repairs can be undertaken.”