AFTER more than six years of campaigning, villagers in Lover have finally got a community field to call their own.

Following the closure of Redlynch Primary School in 2006, villagers wanted the former school playing field to be retained for community use.

Since then they have been vigorously campaigning to make it happen, including a petition with hundreds of signatures from the Lover community and nearby villages.

Dave Charles, a member of the committee running and managing the field, said: “Ironically, despite being in New Forest National Park there are actually no open spaces that the kids can play and ride their bikes in.”

The parish council bought the land about a year ago and following a questionnaire to local households the field was renamed Lover Green.

Now a working party is planning to do some improvement work next month and the community is busy planning events and activities that will take place on the field.

The working party on April 13 will see up to 50 local people cut the grass, trim trees, paint gates and hang bird boxes made by children at the pre-school.

Natural England is providing the bird boxes for free and the children will decorate them and put their names on them. They are also designing a logo for Lover Green. It is hoped once the grass is cut the field can be used for sporting activities and there are also plans for a drive-in movie night. The committee plans to improve the play area, which has fallen into disrepair, and hopes to produce a wildlife trail.

They are also seeking advice about how best to clear the pond.

The popular Lover Fayre, which is held in the first week of July and sees about 800 people come to the village each year, has played a big part in proving the field has good value to the community.

Mr Charles said: “We’re a busy community in Lover with the garage sale, the fayre and the safari supper and the field really is the heart of our village.”