A COMMUNITY leader is furious because access to a village park area has been closed off.

Peter Franzen, chairman of Golborne Community Forum, claims the move to shut the gate on "The Bonk" has denied mums with prams and the disabled access to the site.

He claims that although the council encourages people to use open spaces the main access to the former colliery site on High Street has been prohibited.

A council spokesman said: "The High Street entrance has never been designated an access route. The old mining site has been closed off to facilitate work on development of the industrial park.

"Once the work is done some access will be reinstated for council vehicles and obviously people will be able to use that."