PROTESTORS were left disappointed after their bid to save a playing field at the centre of plans for a controversial sports hub was snubbed by councillors.

Residents met before Hyndburn Council full council meeting at Accrington Town Hall tonight to show support for the campaign to save Highams Playing Fields from becoming the home of Accrington Stanley Community Trust's new £2million community hub.

Cllr Malcolm Pritchard collected more than 1,000 signatures on a petition to save the site from the potential proposals from Accrington Stanley Community Trust.

The move was debated at the meeting and opposition councillors raised a motion to support the petition, which was comfortably defeated.

Hyndburn Council Leader, Cllr Miles Parkinson, said should the trust should gain the support of the required bodies and submit plans he would support the investment.

He said: "You see a lot of people making all sorts of things ups. 

"We all want better facilities in the borough.

"If the council had £2million we'd be investing it in better facilities for the community like this is.

"In about 10 days time more information is set to be made available on the trust's website."

Accrington Stanley Community Trust completed a feasibility study earlier this year into the site and are working on official plans ready to submit them in the near future.

The plans are expected to include include a full-size floodlit 4G pitch, grass pitches and a community building.

Protestors said they would fight to keep the Thorneyholme Road site open so 'everyone can enjoy the open space'.

Cllr Pritchard said at the meeting: "When the petition first started everyone thought it was just a joke.

"Please take notice of the more than 1,200 who have signed this petition."

Before the meeting more than 50 people turned up to peacefully protest against the plans as councillors arrived, chanting 'save Highams'.

One of the protestors, Elayne Pilkington, who lives in Thorneyholme Road, said: "They haven't thought about it.

"Everybody uses the field, kids play football, people walk their dogs.

"There would be chaos if it went ahead.

"It would be 24/7, we wouldn't be able to do anything."

At the meeting the council instead voted in favour of recommending its support to cabinet for the proposals if they are approved by Sports England, Fields in Trust, comply with the deeds of the land and are approved by the planning committee.