SAVE Ashton Gardens campaigners got some pretty hefty encouragement when they heard that burly Sir Cyril Smith had decided to throw his full weight behind them.

The larger-than-life Rochdale MP, who has been a frequent visitor to St Annes with his mother, heard about the threat hanging over the gardens from friends.

He was so concerned that he put pen to paper immediately.

Save Ashton Gardens (SAG) spokesman, Barbara Pagett, of Evesham Road, St Annes, was delighted with his show of support.

She said: "We were very encouraged that somebody who doesn't even live here was thinking about us and bothered enough about this issue to write to us.

"I do know he has got very strong connections with the area.

"He used to have property here and was often to be seen strolling in Ashton Gardens or enjoying himself by Fairhaven Lake. He was often here with his mother."

In his letter to SAG, Sir Cyril said: "I am a regular visitor to St Annes and I would be very upset to see the beautiful Ashton Gardens spoiled by building on the whole or part of them.

"Surely in this day and age we can preserve beauty in the midst of built-up areas. I am against the proposals to build on Ashton Gardens."

He ended: " Best wishes in your campaign. You are doing a great job. Hope you win."

Mrs Pagett said his words had indeed spurred them on and confirmed that they would increase the profile of their campaign when the proposals by Safeway are put on display as part of a public consultation exercise in mid-January. She said: "We will be distributing leaflets, we are hoping to hold a public meeting and most of all we are encouraging everybody in St Annes to go and have a look at the plans.

"This is too important a decision to be left to the few."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.