WORCESTER councillors have hit back at critics, including city MP Mike Foster, who are opposed to plans to extend a car park into a popular park.

Francis Lankester, cabinet member for tourism and riverside regeneration, said the council has spent around £120,000 on improving Cripplegate Park, in St John's, over the past year.

The extension would take up around four per cent of parkland. Coun Lankester pointed out that the land incorporated into the park from the demolition of 1-3 Hylton Road and the staff car park meant that the net loss of park space would be around 1.5 to two per cent.

He added that by ring-fencing the £32,000 revenue expected to be raised from a car park it would morally bind future councils.

"The money is for two extra people to do extra park maintenance," he said.

"The council has a responsibility for all the parks in Worcester."

Coun Derek Prodger, who is cabinet member for keeping Worcester clean, green and safe, also hit back at Mr Foster.

In the early 1990s, Coun Prodger unearthed documents dating back to 1912, which played a part in blocking plans being considered by the then Labour-controlled city council to build a supermarket on the park.

At the time, the Evening News reported that the deeds stated that the land in Cripplegate Park, should be kept "for ever" as a public open space.

"I would be interested to see if these deeds, so powerfully used years ago to thwart development, are brought forward now to stop the council building more car parking on the green park land," said Mr Foster.

"I hope Coun Prodger once again comes forward with the deeds to the park, and uses them to stop the Conservatives on the city council from concreting over this valuable green space."

Coun Prodger replied: "I can produce the deeds. I will produce the deeds because I am an honest bloke.

"The difference between then and now is that then they wanted to put a supermarket on the park. The actual land required for the car park is considerable smaller."

Have you got a St John's story? If so, please call reporter Sundeep Kumar on 01905 742255.