COMMUNITY allotments in Ardrossan have been trashed overnight in a "sickening" act of vandalism.

Pictures taken by local photographer Charlie Gilmour show damage to tables, chairs, pots and other equipment at the Elm Park/Park View site.

Run by the Three Towns Growers group, the project has 50 allotment plots and almost 50 raised beds, and is also home to honey bees.

The mindless act comes only around a month after the group held its first event of the season - a 'potato day', on Saturday, February 4.

Organisers voiced their frustration and anger at the incident on social media today (Friday, March 17).

A post on Facebook read: "There’s a lot of good people who put in a lot of work at the allotments in Ardrossan.

"People who give up their time for the community. People who donate fresh produce to food banks and food larders, people who teach kids about honey bees and how to grow their own food.

"We run events for the community through the year to help make things slightly better for us all.

"And yet, there are some in the community who don’t care and only want to destroy what we have built.

"There’s no reason, no rationale behind it and if we get angry - they win.

"They won’t beat us. They won’t win. We will stand up and rebuild and come through stronger and more determined.

"Meantime, the vandals have my pity. Imagine being like them."

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were made aware of vandalism at allotments in the Elm Park area of Ardrossan.

“A number of items at the site were damaged sometime between 5pm on Wednesday, March 15 and 11am on Thursday, March 16.

“Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information can call 101, quoting reference 1693 of March 16.”