OUTRAGED villagers in Winsley have vowed to fight to retain their village playing field as a community asset after its new owner put up a wire fence and padlocked the gate.

The playing field at Northfield was sold for £66,500 at a public auction in London in March to a mystery bidder.

Cllr Ed Gilby, chairman of Winsley Parish Council, said: "It is a shame they are doing what they are doing.

"Our application to have the land designated as a Village Green went in to Wiltshire Council before the public auction.

"We are just about to finalise the final version and then there will be a six-week consultation period."

Mr Gilby said the new owners of the field, two brothers from the Reading area, came to Winsley to watch the fence and gate being installed.

"They said they have bought the land as an investment and have no intention of developing it.

"But if they do submit a planning application, it will get turned down. The land is in the Green Belt."

The playing field was sold by its previous owner, Legacy Land Holdings Ltd, of Bexhill on Sea in East Sussex, at a two-day auction on March 9 and 10.

The land is part of the Tyning Road housing estate in Winsley, which was built in the late 1960s.

It has been used by children in Winsley ever since as a playing field and a place where they can safely play football and other games.

Winsley Parish Council installed a goalpost in the 1970s which was used for decades.

In 2020, following a request from local children, the parish council replaced the 1970s goalpost with new posts and nets.