A 'MINDLESS' game of tit-for-tat Old Firm graffiti has seen a children's playpark vandalised.

Locals in Cessnock first noticed Celtic colours painted onto a slide and bollards.

But now rival Rangers supporters have wreaked revenge by painting over the green and white with red, white and blue.

Council bosses hit out at the paint wars - taking place during the coronavirus lockdown - as "moronic".

They said staff will now have to be mobilised to cover up the mess.

A Glas City Council spokeswoman said: “This is completely unacceptable behaviour.

"Not only are these mindless morons wasting public funds, they are putting other people at risk as we’re having to bring staff in to clean up this mess.”

The vandalism has been carried out in Festival Park and along Govan Road in Cessnock.

A children's slide was first painted green and white stripes with the words "Bhoys" and "Celtic" written in black paint.

An electricity box was also decorated green and white.

And several bollards in the park and on Govan Road were pained with the Irish Tricolour of green, white and orange.

The area is close to Rangers Football Club's ground and is home to several Rangers bars.

So it wasn't long before the artistic efforts of the rival club's supporters came to the notice of fans.

At some point in the past few days each one of the green and white objects has been redecorated.

The slide is now red, white and blue stripes with "Bears" painted over the top.

And the bollards and electricity box are also red, white and blue.

Local councillor Allan Young said: "It is very disappointing to see a children’s play area being subjected to mindless vandalism such as this.

"The park should be a space for everyone.

"I have reported this to council officials, requesting the graffiti is removed when possible."

The graffiti scrap follows a similar back and forth outside a Celtic pub in the Gallowgate in 2016.

The kerbs that line Bar 67 and The Phoenix were given an Old Firm makeover in the early hours of the morning.

But Celtic fans were having none of it and turned up with their own paint to colour the kerbs in green and white

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said the issue had not yet been reported to the force.

But she added: “Any reports of crimes or incidents will be investigated and addressed appropriately, with our local partners where necessary or beneficial, to keep all our communities safe.”