Dog walkers are furious after it emerged plans are in place to create a dog-free zone in a "precious" field.

Bushey Manor Field Trust have outlined a plan to partition some of the land and say dog poo is one of the reasons behind it.

The trustees, who took over management of the site in 2008 under a promise the site couldn’t be developed, want to section off around 30 per cent of the field.

But the decision has led to protest and a petition has been launched as campaigners fight the proposed changes in Bushey Manor Field.

James Hodgson, who has lived in Bushey since the 1970s, regularly uses Bushey Manor Field alongside 15-year-old dog Scamp.

He said: “It is an act of vandalism to try and enclose a section of the field. The field is incredibly well used. In our urban sprawl, land like this is precious and we are privileged so have this so close to home. The notion a group of trustees would ignore the will of many is not right. We are very disappointed.”

Hillingdon Times:

Chairman of the Bushey Manor Field Trust Gillian Gray says she and her seven fellow trustees have a “duty of care”.

She said: “This field is dominated by dog owners and commercial dog walkers and we have an issue with dog waste.

“It has been a problem for years and we have also received complaints where people say they have been intimidated by dogs running free. We also know people who have been attacked and bitten.

“What we want to do is create a space that is safe for children and picnics and free from dogs. At the moment, schools won’t use the field but we hope they do if we have this separate area.

“We have a duty of care to look after the people who use the field and at the moment, dog waste is a problem. Although we have had no reports, dog waste can cause medical problems.”

The dog-free zone is likely to be created in the field close to the junction of Grange Road and Woodlands Road

The trustees propose to divide around 25 to 30 per cent of the field. The new area will be surrounded by a four foot high curved metal fence with pedestrian gates and they want to plant a hedge around the fencing. Dogs would not be allowed in the segregated area.

Hillingdon Times:

Ms Gray says she would like to start the work as soon as possible.

The online petition which has reached 370 signatures describes the proposal as a “them and us mentality” and a “waste of funds”.

The petition can be found at https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-partition-of-bushey-manor-field