MYSTERY surrounds who owns a piece of land in Worcester.

Children have played on the small area of green in Bilford Avenue, off Bilford Road, for years but now the city council, which maintains the land, is keen to trace the real owner so they can take over responsibility for it.

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said notices went up saying that children should not play on the land.

She said: "The developers who built the land left it for the children of the avenue to play on.

"When my daughter was small she used to play there."

But another resident, who did not want to be named, said the people who live near the site are upset that children kick footballs against their wall.

Ian Yates, the city council's parks and cemeteries manager, said: "The original developer of the properties in Bilford Avenue went bust before transferring the land to city council ownership.

"The very first thing we need to do is establish the legal ownership of the land. We are trying to get people to provide us with what they know of the open space."

Mr Yates said the council had recently fenced off the site, although pedestrian access was maintained, in the hope off attracting the attention of the owner.

He added that it was residents who asked the council to look into the management of the land.

"The residents will be consulted on the future management of the land but we need to address the short-term problem - the ownership - before the long term," he said.

Former Worcester mayor Gareth Jones, who represents that area on the city council, said: "Someone has to be the successor to the land.

"It would be very helpful if someone had evidence to say the land belongs to so and so."

Anyone with information about the land should leave details with the council's customer service, which can be contacted on 01905 722233.