A £10,000 plan to put up three metre high fencing to stop footballs flying into people's gardens has been deferred after residents said it was not a problem.

An application was submitted last month to Blackburn with Darwen Council to install the fencing at pitches on College Field behind Blackburn Northern Sports Club in Ramsgreave Avenue.

But people who live nearby had objected to the application, claiming there was no issue with balls being blasted into their properties.

And they said the fencing would also be a blight on views from their homes.

Fears were also voiced that people who had complained about the issue were doing so because they had objected to the principle of the playing field development in the first place.

Dave Souch, one of the Pleckgate Road residents supposedly affected by the issue, said: “It’s going to cost serious money to put this fencing up.

“They don’t want to do it because they would rather invest in the facility for the children who use it.

“An alternative to this would be to put it on hold so we can gather some data as to how often a ball actually lands in someone’s garden.

“The money should not be spent on a fence which no-one wants.”

Roe Lee councillor Phil Riley, whose ward the proposed development is in, said: “The history of objection to these playing fields is extraordinary.

“We can’t afford to let the objectors to the fields resume guerilla warfare against the pitches.

“I’m not sure any of us have a desire to put this fencing up.”

He added that the far end of the pitches was used by Blackburn Rovers Ladies, while the pitch nearest the Pleckgate Road houses was used for young women's football.

Cllr Jacquie Slater suggested deferring the application so the planning department could liaise with the leisure department to determine whether the fencing was really necessary.

Committee chairman Cllr Dave Smith added: "At the end of the day, if residents are happy and the ELFDA wants to spend £10,000 on something better for the kids, that would be a better option."

Members of the planning and highways committee heard the majority of residents had not experienced any problems since the football pitches came into use.

The £10,000 cost of the fencing would be met by the East Lancs Football Development Association, who say they would rather spend the money developing facilities for young footballers.

The application was deferred for discussions to be held with theleisure department to determine whether there was still a need for the fencing.