Live: Police called to Stoke Lodge as people try to stop fence being built

A stand-off is taking place between contractors hired by a school and local people as a long-running controversy surrounding Stoke Lodge playing fields reaches a climax.

Contractors arrived yesterday (January 14) to put up a fence around much of the fields but they stopped work after intervention from a growing number of residents.

People living near the fields, which are in Shirehampton Road, have been embroiled in a long and often bitter dispute with the school about access to the playing fields.

The school has a lease to use the council-owned Stoke Lodge playing fields, and a seven-year legal battle in the High Court saw the 'unlawful' decision to grant it village green status reversed.

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The school then announced plans to put up a fence to safeguard its students, despite Ofsted saying the fence is 'not required'.

Protesters are back today, Tuesday January 15 determined to safeguard the protected trees which line the playing fields. Police are again on site and are negotiating a safe way to protest with the group.