GREEN-fingered Stow residents have slammed plans for a new play area next to their allotments which they fear will destroy years of hard work.

Stow Town Council wants to turn a children's play area into a site more appealing to older youths.

There is currently a play park for young children right next to the allotments and the town council wants to turn this into an area for older children for five-a-side football, tennis, netball or basket ball.

The existing play area would be moved to another site.

However, allotment gardeners concerned this will lead to balls squashing their squashes and other fruit and veg.

Chairman of the Allotment Association in Stow, John Bachelor, who has had his allotment for 50 years, said: "We don't need the play area and I am 100 percent against it.

"These are four good allotment sites and there are people willing to take them on.

"The kids won't worry about where they are walking if a park is next door."

Allotment holder Patricia Herbert added: "We have nothing against putting this facility in for the children but we want an adequate fence with a lockable gate to protect the plants.

"The allotment holders nearest the proposed park have been there 30 years and have established raspberry canes and other plants that will possibly get damaged."

Town Mayor Alan Rose, who is also an allotment holder, said measures would be included in the plan to ensure there was no conflict between the two groups.

"I know exactly how much time and effort goes in to preparing the ground, planting the seeds and raising the plants and if I found that somebody had trappled all over it to get at a ball or for any other reason I would be distressed and dismayed," he said.

"The council appreciates that children and allotments don't mix very well.

"Our intention is therefore to construct a 20 foot high fence between the allotments and play area and to have netting across the top to prevent balls from escaping onto the allotments."

Mrs Herbert is angry that the town council have not consulted allotment holders about the plans.

"I wrote a letter of objection to the council and only four councillors bothered to read it."

Mr Rose said: "As a town council it is inevitable that we are not going to be able to please every Stow resident."

The park proposal was accepted by the town council at the meeting last week.