A BROTHER and sister have been given another five years to play in their Wendy house after councillors relented over an order to pull it down immediately.

Ian Barker built the play house at the end of his garden in Whittam Crescent, Whalley, for his children Jack, six, and Isobel, three.

But he had been told the Wendy house contravened planning regulations because it was out up on part of a former field.

Last night members of Ribble Valley Council rejected Ian Barker's retrospective planning application for the wendy house.

But they did agree to delay enforcement action for five years after a committee meeting heard about the widespread support Mr Barker had received.

After the meeting, Mr Barker said: "The most important thing is that we haven't got to get rid of it for now, although the situation won't be any different in five years.

"We will see where the land lies in five years time and probably fight on but I really would rather they had approved it.

Mr Barker bought the land to extend his garden, and he told the committee he allowed much of it grow naturally.

He had appealed to the committee not to make the world a greyer place for his children.' But John Macholc, the borough's development control manager, said: "The danger is that we set a precedent, and then people from across the Ribble Valley start putting in planning applications along the same lines.

"This one application taken in isolation may seem very small, but the ramifications if lots of other houses across the borough did the same would be huge.

"A compromise would appear to be refusing the application, but delaying enforcement action for five years.

"That would allow the children to enjoy the play house, while at the same time not setting a precedent."

The committee backed Mr Macholc's idea, although Langho councillor John Taylor said: "It would seem to me that five years isn't long enough.

"The youngest child, who is three, will still want to be playing in it."

Coun Janet Alcock said: "I have seen this house, and it is delightful.

"It is in a completely rural setting and it makes much more sense for children to play there than out on a road."