DISTRAUGHT homeowners say they face losing decades of precious memories after learning a council has put the land their gardens stand on up for auction.

Some of those living on Whalley Road in Accrington have cared for their gardens for around 25 years and were shocked last week to find a large auction sign pinned to the boundary of the land, at the back of their homes.

Residents have rented plots of land, which comprise of garages and gardens, from Lancashire County County since the early 1990s when they were bought from the Accrington Brick and Tile company. But now, gutted families could be left with no outdoor space and no parking after the council decided to auction the land off – without consulting them first.

David and Jennice Livesey brought their home on the street in 1987 and began renting their plot of land from the council shortly after. They have since transformed the space into their own ‘little sanctuary’.

They say their piece of 'paradise' is especially poignant as two of their children who were brought up playing in the garden have since tragically died.

Fourteen-year-old Dee died from leukaemia on Christmas Day in 1990 and their 30-year-old son Adam died of bowel cancer two years ago.

Retired Mr Livesey said: “I have fought for years to buy the land from the council so we can have some peace of mind that something like this would never happen.

“That space out there is our paradise, our shangri-la.

“We’ve brought our three children up in this house and garden, two of who have since passed away. There is no accounting for the number of memories it holds.”

Mr Livesey added that the green space had become more sacred due to the increased levels of traffic on Whalley Road and the landfill site situated behind their homes.

They couple also keep their camper van on the land, and have voiced concerns that they will have nowhere to park once the land is sold.

Stacey Bogle, who has lived on the road for eight years, has four children and relies on the land for parking her seven-seater car.

She said: “I’d recently considered spending some money on doing my garden up and getting it landscaped, but we won’t be doing that now. What is the point when we don’t even know if we are going to have access to the land by the end of the year?

“We’re also worried about the parking. We fear leaving the house on match days, with Accrington Stanley just around the corner, we are often left with nowhere to park.” Another resident has recently spent £3,000 on a new driveway and fencing.

The land is set to be sold by auctioneers Pugh, who have the plot listed with a guide price of £15,000 plus.

Mrs Livesey added: “All they care about is the money. To them, the money they will get for the land is pennies. To us it is priceless.

“We feel as though we have been totally disregarded, they have given us no thought whatsoever. These gardens mean the world to us.”

Homeowners said given the chance, they would buy the land but they are concerned they won’t be able to out-bid a large developer who may want the land for housing.

County councillor Miles Parkinson said there had been a ‘huge oversight’ by the council in not contacting the residents.

He said: “It seems due to the financial position the county council finds itself in, they have had to assess some of their land assets.

“It is clear to me that if possible, this land should be transferred to the community rather than going to who knows who.

“There has been a major oversight by the county council in not contacting the residents but I do believe that this is something that is being rectified.

"The resolution should be in the interests of those living on the street. The ideal scenario here is giving the tenants a fair opportunity to buy the land.”

A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council said: “We’ve received correspondence from the residents and we’re looking into their concerns.”