A concrete bunker lies beneath the park in a stark reminder that World War Two touched every community in one way or another.

And German plans to land gliders in the park were also foiled by massive concrete pipes that would have torn wooden aircraft to shreds.

This secret history came to light last week as veterans and the town’s older residents reminisced on Barrhead in wartime.

Recounting his mother’s tales of time spent in the shelter, 69-year-old John Grady, from Barrhead, said the shelter was full of well known Barrhead characters, and that its important history should not be forgotten.

Speaking to the Barrhead News, he said: “My mum always talked about the shelter that was under the bandstand in the Cowan Park and for all the times I have heard about it I haven’t seen it.

“She was always full of stories about what would be happening in the shelter and the characters you would meet and see.

“And there was always this one old man who would stand as everyone got into the shelter before saying ‘Oh I’ve forgotten my umbrella!’.

“He would then go away running away back to his house to get it!” This was not the only wartime preparation that the park underwent, the railings along the old Aurs Drive also had dozens of large concrete pipes and polls lined up against them.

If there became a significant threat of invasion then these poles and pipes would be rolled out into the middle of the park’s large open greenspaces with the intention of preventing German gliders and planes landing on the fields.

And John said that these were once a favourite playspot for youngsters in the area.

He said: “They must have been about 4ft tall and 5 or 6 feet long and they must have been rolled into position using bulldozers or something like that.” John and friends used the concrete structures as play things to jump between, perhaps unaware of their sinister purpose at the time.

East Renfrewshire Council said they were not aware of the bomb shelter but are investigating the claims and looking into their archives to see what records they have of the existence of a band stand bomb shelter.

John added: “I think its important that this bit of history is not forgotten.”