A DRUNKEN teen who “desecrated” a garden dedicated to Neilston’s fallen war heroes has owned up to the callous attack.

Trees at the Neilston War Memorial were ripped out of pots, snapped and thrown onto the street in a disgraceful overnight vandalism which caused £800 worth of damage last Thursday.

The newly-designed Main Street garden was only completed last month by the Neilston War Memorial Association (NWMA).

The team behind the memorial, which honours the hundreds of men from the village who died serving their country, have since learned who was responsible for the damage.

It is thought the youth was part of a larger group made up of 18 and 19-year-olds.

Although the culprit has offered to make amends for his actions, he has been blasted by the volunteers who spent weeks digging flower beds and replanting trees in a bid to spruce up the memorial.

Matt Drennan, NWMA secretary, stold the Barrhead News: “Neilston’s a wee place and most people’s grandads are on that memorial but they’ve desecrated it.

“The mentality’s totally missing. Some of the boys have went and tidied up.

“We’ve never had any bother at all until now.

“When I’ve been working there, even the schoolchildren and wee tots would come up and say how proud they were and that it was beautiful.”

Following the apology, Mr Drennan took to the NWMA’s Facebook page to share the news with members.

He wrote: “We have been told that the person involved in this drunken rampage has held his hands up to this stupid act and apologised profusely for his drunken actions.

“He is a young lad from a good family and this act is totally out of character. His parents will be mortified and he will be in the dog house for this at home.”

He added: “The lad has volunteered to pay for his actions to replace the damage and to do work on the site to make good one stupid night’s actions.

“I am sure we can offer this lad a second chance and a way to make amends for a daft and stupid act.

“His repentance will be visual and he will be seen working to make amends for his actions.”

Donations poured in from Neilston residents and businesses to help NWMA raise more than £1,300 for the rejuvenation project earlier this year.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman confirmed the incident is under investigation, although no one has been charged at this stage.