The plague of fungus in Roxburgh Way was first spotted inside the doorway.

The mushrooms have since spread up the inside walls of the close and onto a first floor veranda.

Concerned tenants and home owners raised the alarm with housing association River Clyde Homes but were left bemused when workers were sent round to pick the mushrooms off.

Now they are demanding that action is taken to identify the root of the problem before there is any lasting damage.

Outraged tenant Sarah McShand, 75, said: “They must think we are daft.

“Mushrooms don’t just appear for no reason.

“There must be a problem with dampness and leaking water that needs to be fixed.

“They can pick them away all they want, but they will just grow back.

“I have spoken to a builder and he says that they need to get to the bottom of this.” Sarah says she was stunned when she noticed what was happening in her close, particularly after the block was only recently revamped.

She said: “I couldn’t believe it when I was sitting in my veranda and I looked down to see mushrooms growing from the ground.

“Most of the residents here are elderly and some are just out of hospital.

“It is unacceptable.

“These houses have just been all refurbished.” Elderly man John Mullen, who also lives in the block and owns his flat, claims the fungus is spreading into his bedroom.

The 85-year-old has spent the last two years in hospital for severe chest problems but now fears doctors will send him back there.

His bedroom backs on to the close wall affected by the fungus.

Mr Mullen said: “There is dampness in my bedroom and there are white spores landing on my bed.

“My chest is not good at all.” River Clyde Homes have confirmed that they are aware of the problem and say they are removing the fungal growth and cleaning the common areas.

They also acknowledged that there is a problem with water penetration, which is to be fixed.

Paul Monaghan, Homefact manager at RCH, said: “We recently installed external wall insulation across the entire Holmscroft area.

“River Clyde Homes managed to acquire a package of grants to enable work to take place at no cost to homeowners.

“This has significantly improved not only the look of the buildings but their energy efficiency and should result in reduced fuel bills for all residents.

“Customers have been advised that further works are planned to the buildings. “These will include maintenance work to the balconies at number seven, which are the cause of the current water penetration in the common close.

“Under a new initiative, customers now have a choice of additional improvement works which can be carried out at their block.

“In the interim, we will clean the common areas and remove the fungal growth highlighted by customers.”