a public meeting at Welland was divided over its support for plans for cattle grids on roads around Castlemorton Common.

Malvern Hills Conservators want to install the grids to help prevent livestock straying off common and into the village.

This happens several times a year, but Conservators are planning to increase the numbers of livestock.

Some residents fear the cattle grids will be a nuisance, causing noise. Others fear the grids will be a hazard to cyclists and to horses and their riders.

A straw poll taken at the start of the meeting showed 16 people against the grids, 15 for.

Conservators director Ian Rowat told the meeting that extra livestock would be needed to keep scrub on the common down and to prevent it reverting to woodland. He said the Conservators did not have the manpower to clear it by cutting and burning.

He said lottery money was available to install cattle grids, but if it was not taken up soon, it would not be available in the future.

However, he said he was open to other ideas about how the common should be looked after.

It was pointed out that the best grass was by the roadside, causing sheep to wander into the village.

If marshy areas were drained, and good-quality grass allowed to grow there, livestock might be drawn away from the roads.

After the meeting, Mr Rowat said he thought it had been useful and he would try to address people's concerns.

"Everyone will have a chance to put their views when the application to install the grids is made to the highways department," he said.

The application is not expected to go in before April.