FURIOUS villagers were last night waiting to hear if they had won a two-year battle in a dispute over village hall land.

"Dozens" of Bayton folk are angry that an access road built without planning permission at the new village hall in 1998 is still in place.

They are also annoyed the land is not being used for the purpose it was given to the village.

However, a meeting last night was called only to discuss use of the nearby recreation ground and parking arrangements.

Jeremy Hackney, who has organised protests against the changes implemented by the village hall committee, said: "They didn't have planning permission for this busy access road in the first place but claimed it would be temporary.

"Then in 1997 they organised a vote among parishioners to see what should be done with the road and car park.

"But the villagers' decision to get rid of the road and turn the park into a hard play area was ignored."

He added: "The land is supposed to be used as a recreation ground for children after it was handed over by the late Mrs Gurney in 1947.

"This is not the case but it would be if a hard play area was put in place."

However, Tony Tague, village hall committee chairman, said: "Our solicitors are happy everything has been done accordingly and the chairman of Bayton Parish Council and planning chief from Malvern Hills District Council are also satisfied.

"One or two people are causing problems and I am sure most people will be delighted with the plans for the area when they are announced."

The saga has not been helped when Malvern Hills District Council took over as the ruling authority from Leominster District Council in 1998.

Leominster DC said the road could not have been "construed as temporary" and ordered work to be stopped until the matter was resolved but then Malvern Hills DC took control.

However, its development control chief David Murray said he was awaiting the outcome of last night's meeting and whether villagers could resolve the dispute themselves before any possible intervention.