A FORMER Mayor of Worcester has vowed to block Worcester City's bid for a new football stadium at Perdiswell Park, warning: "I will fight it all the way".

Councillor Gareth Jones even says he will use his OWN money employing an independent transport consultant to investigate the congestion implications of the development.

The Tory, a long-standing critic of the bid, told the Worcester News he wanted to speak out despite claiming he's been "abused" by football fans for opposing it.

Cllr Jones, who represents the St Stephen ward, said: "I've been onto the planners at the council already.

"Since 2013 I've been totally opposed to this stadium, I've set my stall out from day one - just because they've moved it 51 metres away from the canal, it doesn't make any difference to me whatsoever.

"I will do everything in my power to thwart this application, I'll fight it all the way - the only council ward this stadium affects is my ward.

"The streets will become a car park because there's not enough parking on-site, you'll have 15-metre high lighting columns, and that's not to mention the noise when they score.

"The principle of this is just not acceptable - I'll be engaging a highways consultancy to scrutinise it, which I will pay for myself."

Worcester News: PERDISWELL: Six football pitches are finally being brought back into use, the city council has confirmed.

He also said he's taken lots of "abuse" over his stance but had 25 phone calls on Thursday night from concerned residents, urging him to fight on.

The stance threatens to reopen the battle over building the 4,400-capacity ground on Perdiswell Park, which is out for a fresh 21-day consultation.

Club officials estimate an average of 823 people will attend matches, but just 82 new parking spaces are included in the development.

But the planning application includes a proposal to share some of the 415 spaces belonging to Perdiswell Leisure Centre - offering far better provision than the old St George's Lane ever did.

The club's supporters' trust has launched its own charm offensive by insisting the stadium would pale in comparison to typical football league-sized grounds.

Richard Widdowson, a trust director, said: "When people hear 'football stadium' they immediately think of Old Trafford and Wembley - even on a smaller scale they think of Sixways.

"This isn’t that - it is a non-league football ground, and this is the message we have been trying to get across from the start."

Rob Crean, also from the trust, said he was "confident" the scheme will stand up to scrutiny and get approved.

The revised planning application, which is due to be voted on as soon as May, has seen the stadium moved 51 metres north-east so it sits further away from the Birmingham-Worcester canal.

It also features a new design to closer match the appearance of Perdiswell Leisure Centre.

To get involved in the new consultation visit worcester.gov.uk and search for planning application P14M0176 - or go HERE.