A MAUCHLINE mum has been left concerned and her daughter shaken after the child and her friends were “followed and watched by a masked man” in a local park.

The girl and her three friends were playing in Beechgrove Park around 5pm on Sunday, October 25 when they spotted a man watching them from a nearby field.

The individual was reportedly hiding behind trees, dressed in black and wearing a full silver face mask.

The mum is now warning residents to be “vigilant with their kids” after the incident, which police have responded to by deploying greater police presence in the area.

The mum said: “The kids play at Beechgrove Park, where the football ground is, regularly. They had been over at the tree side playing as they often climb trees and play hide and seek over there.

“Where they had been playing, they noticed the person standing in the field behind the trees, in between the park and Station Road. He was looking towards them. He had black clothes on and a silver mask.

“He then started walking in circles, but by this time the kids had spotted him and got a fright.

“They headed over to the opposite side of the park, to the actual playpark. By the time they got over, the person had come over the fence and was standing at the tree line looking towards them.

“When they saw that he’d moved into the park, they came home.”

The woman levelled that it could have been someone playing a Hallowe’en prank, but worries it could have been more serious.

She continued: “If someone is having a laugh, it’s not funny. It makes you sick to think what could’ve happened and what the intentions could’ve been. It wasn’t as if it was late. It is starting to get darker earlier now so our girl was due to be home soon.

“She came home in a state, she was really shaken up about it. She seems to be alright now but she’s not in a rush to go back.

“We didn’t quite know what to do about it other than make sure our priority was that the girls were alright.

“The police said they’re going to put in a presence of officers driving by the park and the area frequently.”

A Police Scotland Spokesperson said: “On Monday, October 26, 2020, police received a report of a man acting suspiciously within a wooded area near to Barskimming Road, Mauchline around 5pm on Sunday, October 25, 2020.

“No criminality has been established at this time and enquiries are continuing.”