VILLAGERS look likely to have failed in their bid to have a piece of land in the centre of Irwell Vale accepted as a village green.

Members of Lancashire commons and town greens sub-committee have been recommended todayto reject the application to have the land registered as a village green.

The land originally formed part of a larger parcel of land which has been owned since the late 19th Century by Thomas Aitken and his business until 1984.

Twenty statements from various people describing their use of the land from 1970 to 2000 were considered by County Councillors today.

Ruth Seddon from Bowker Street and Pauline Ridgeway from Aitkin Street, both Irwell Vale, made the application in May 2000 to try to protect the land from the threat of being developed for housing.

Several cite the fact that the land has been used as a play area for children with swings, a roundabout and slide.