AMATEUR football teams from across Burnley are fighting plans to sell off the playing fields where they train.

The Lancashire Telegraph reported last week that Lancashire County Council plans to sell land on the site of the former Hameldon College.

The decision has caused an outcry among users of the playing fields.

Zoe Ferguson Pennington, treasurer of Tait Oil FC, who have recently merged with Rosegrove FC, has collected more than 600 signatures since she started a petition, and she has also set up a ‘Help Save Our Children’s Playing Fields’ Facebook page to raise awareness of their plight.

The Facebook page has received more than 100 likes in less than 24 hours.

Zoe said: “Since our teams merged we now have more than 170 kids training there five days per week.

“We need to know what’s going on as we need to affiliate to the Lancashire FA.

“We can’t plan our future.”

Fiona Routh, club secretary of Rogegrove FC, set up an online petition to collect signatures.

“The petition gained more than 200 signatures in just over 24 hours.

She said: “We’re trying to get as much support as we can to show the council and any potential buyers of the land that the community, and pretty much everyone, is opposed to the redevelopment.

“It would be devast-ating for the children and the community if we lost the playing fields.

“They would literally have nowhere to play.The children whose parents don’t drive would not be able to attend training any-more. It would have a massive impact.”

Councillor Neil Mottershead, who rep-resents Gannow ward, has also joined the campaign.

He said: “I have prom-ised to do whatever I can to support them, and I will do everything I can to fight to save the football pitches.”

To sign the petition visit: http://www.ipeti-tions.com/petition/save-our-green-spacerose-grovefc/ and to show your support on Facebook go to: www. facebook.com/PleaseHelpSaveOurChildrensPlayingFeilds.