A row has erupted over plans to close off a paddock which has been in public use for more than 40 years.

Wallingford Town Council is backing local residents against the move to fence off the paddock in front of the town's hospital in Reading Road.

South Oxfordshire District Council is being asked to turn down the planning application by the South East Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust - as it did last time the trust wanted to fence off the paddock.

The land is used as a playing field for St John's School, as a football pitch by Crowmarsh Boys football club and as recreation land for people to play games, and walk their dogs.

The primary care trust, which owns the land, wants to secure it for whatever future plans it might have on the hospital site.

A spokesman said: "There is no legal right of way on the land - the fence will define what is ours in the legal sense."

Two years ago it said it wanted to build a new hospital on it and put houses on the site of the existing hospital. That plan has since been dropped.

Philippa Bomford, of Reading Road, told the town council she and her neighbours were incensed at the bid to shut off the field. "People use it all the time - it is an important recreation area," she said.