LIMEFIELD residents are accusing Bury council of placing their children in danger.

They are furious that council chiefs want to sell off land - including a play area - for housing.

A hefty petition and many letters of opposition are about to be delivered to the town hall in protest.

The controversy rages around land at Limefield Brow which includes the ITEC centre, which is moving to the Seedfield Centre in the autumn.

Councillors want to sell the site, moving the play area east onto green belt land.

But locals say this is near a quarry and dangerous for kids.

They also say there's a covenant on the land - they raised half the money to provide the play area in the first place.

But cash-strapped council leaders say they have no choice, and have to sell off as much land and buildings as possible to balance the books.

Residents have now formed a committee to oppose the scheme: its chairman, Mr Ray Stephenson, lives nearby on Halsall Close.

"A young girl fell in the quarry last year and had to be rescued," he said. "This plan will move children nearer a site of danger."

The chairman said many were determined to keep their area of open space for recreation.

"Residents raised more than £3,000 through jumble sales and bring-and-buy sales to pay for half the play area," he said.

"It's been moved once already, when we lost the first football field. Now we're going to lose the second: you couldn't play on that slope."

He added: "We're very upset about it, it shows a lack of loyalty from the council. "They have reneged on what they originally said, that the land would be for recreation."

Mr Stephenson added that many elderly people worried about losing public transport: the bus turnaround is being scrapped, and a stop put in some distance away.

But the move was defended by council leader Derek Boden.

"The council needs to dispose of the land for the highest consideration. That doesn't mean we take any pride in that, we've got to decide what's best in the circumstances."

Coun Boden said the play area was being moved only 50 yards up the road, and officers would ensure everything was safe.

He also believed that there was no legal reason to stop the land being sold.

"We make commitments in good faith but times change. It's most unusual for any arrangements to stand for all eternity."

The planning application will probably be considered next month.

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