A FIELD at the centre of an access dispute has been ploughed up by its owner, Malvern Girls' College.

Hayslan Field, behind Hayslan Avenue, has been the focus of attempts by residents to have it legally declared a village green.

But the attempts have so far failed and, on Monday, a farmer hired by the college ploughed up much of the field.

Howard Sprakes, of Davenham Close, said: "I know we didn't have the right to walk across the field but unfortunately all the people round there are getting rather agitated about it being ploughed up, and rather mad.

"This has been like that for 30 years. We are supposed to be conserving fields and nature and the farmer has come along and ruined the lot. Nobody knows what's going on."

Kevin Withers, of Kingshill Close, said: "I know it's their land but doing this is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut."

Ann Haydon, of Shirley Close, said: "It's a great shame. Walking our dogs across this field is a great social thing. I know elderly people who will find it difficult to cross the field now it's been ploughed.

Malvern Hills district councillor Jennette Davy said: "Without any warning, this lovely field has been ploughed up, destroying the grasses and wild flowers, leaving only the extremely muddy rights-of-way.

"Nobody would deny that the Girls' College has the right to do want it wants with its own property, but why it would wish to create something so ugly is beyond me.

"It is a grim start to the New Year for the residents whose properties overlook the area, as well as for those who use the footpaths."

Jane Potter, the college's spokesman, said: "The work has been done on legal advice, as a demonstration of ownership of the land.

"We are not ploughing over the official rights of way across the field, but we want to remind people that they have no right to use the rest of the field."

Part of the field had previously been ploughed up in 1999.

Since 1994, Pickersleigh Residents' Group has been pushing for village green status.

They say it is the only way to protect it in perpetuity from the threat of development. But the college has resisted the moves.

Mrs Potter said no decision has been made about the future of the field, which many years ago was used for playing lacrosse.

The field is one of several which currently form a "green lung" between Great Malvern, Barnards Green and Malvern Link.

Bob Morrison, of the Pickersleigh Resi-dents' Group, said: "We feel it's environmentally reprehensible to plough up this field which has been fallow for so long and which is home to some rare fauna and flora.

"The local people are perplexed and disgusted that the college have done this. We all know they own the land. That is not relevant to the village green question."

He said the group is in the process of submitting another application to have the land declared a village green.

Malvern town councillor Ann Silk said she was waiting for news from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as to whether an environmental impact directive could see the area designated as 'improved grassland'. "To totally plough the land up is desecration," she added.