CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after winning a long battle to protect a public field from developers.

Councillors and members of Weaverham Trust have been fighting for more than three years to get Lakehouse Field designated as a village green.

Their wishes were granted on Monday morning when Cheshire County Council's rights of way committee allowed the field to be registered as a village green.

The committee had deferred the decision three times. The application had been rejected in the past because the county council said the area met only three of the four criteria required.

It agreed that the field had been used for recreation for at least 20 years and was used by the majority of villagers but did not accept it was used 'as of right'.

The trust presented new evidence to the committee on Monday, showing residents did not have to get the permission of the parish council to use the field.

Trust chairman Tony Daffern said he was 'over the moon'. He said: "We're all very pleased about this. It has been a big battle and we think it was all a bit unnecessary.

"It should have been a matter of common sense to make it a village green."

Mr Daffern stressed the field would not be changed as a result of the decision, as some residents had feared.

He said: "It has to stay as an open space now. Our motive for doing this was to give the field a long life and protection from any possible development."

Weaverham Parish Council bought the field in 1953 and it was kept as a war memorial.

The campaign to register it as a village green started after it was rumoured that developers were interested in building housing on it.

Parish councillor Richard Gorrill said: "It just shows what can be done when the parish council, the Weaverham Trust and Cheshire County Council work together, hand in hand."

rbabington@guardinagrp.co.uk