COUNCILLORS controversially voted to sell off part of a memorial ground to a private householder to use as a garden, prompting a war veteran to speak out.

Six Conservative Councillors voted for the sale of part of Trickett's Memorial Ground in Waterfoot to the owner of a house on Thistlemount.

Four Labour and one Conservative Coun Joyce Thorne voted against. The decision has still to be ratified by full council on December 19.

The vote prompted Normandy war veteran Peter Cooke to speak out to the councillors, saying: "The council doesn't own this ground. It belongs to the people who lost their lives in the war and we have no right to sell it.

"It is absolutely disgusting. It is an insult to the men who lost their lives. Seven of my personal friends lost their lives. How many more are going to be able to buy land?"

Councillors at the corporate policy granted permission to Queen's Lancashire Regiment representative Walter Whittaker to speak before the item was discussed.

He spoke against the sale and recited the words said on Remembrance Sunday: "Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we shall remember them."

The sale was recommended to be refused at the last corporate policy committee, but was deferred at council for a site visit.

Coun Janet O'Driscoll asked for permission to speak against the sale, telling councillors it was a "dangerous principle to set".

Coun Neil Smith said: "This piece of land has been used for many many years as a garden area and it doesn't form part of the memorial gardens at all.

"It is a private garden attached to a house. It's more than reasonable that we allow the occupier, who has made an excellent garden out of this piece of land, to buy it. It is only right and proper that we allow this person to buy."

Council members David Hancock, Nick Pilling, Graham Pearson and Mollie Disley all spoke against the sale, saying it was wrong in principle and it might set a precedent.