DOZENS of campaigners came together to oppose plans to fence-off part of a popular green space during a community picnic.

Westfield Park in Caversham has been put forward as a possible location for children to use for recreation as part of plans to expand The Heights Primary School.

As part of the move, St Anne's Primary agreed to work with the council by allowing for a temporary modular building to be located on their land.

More than 100 residents enjoyed a feast at the park on Sunday afternoon and a campaign 'Friends not Fences' has been mounted by Friends of Westfield Park to sway the council not to action the plans.

A spokesman said: “We were delighted to see the park in glorious sunshine being enjoyed by the whole community at our peaceful picnic.

"This strong show of unity demonstrates the strength of feeling against these expansion plans, particularly the annexation of Westfield Recreation Ground.

“In the last four years since The Heights took up its temporary home, we have had to put up with a marked increase in noise, parking problems and traffic and the saturation of our play park which already serves two other local primary schools.

"This planning application shows no regard to the stress our community is already under as a result of their tenure and a planned expansion can only make this worse.

“We would question why the council chose to offer new school places at The Heights in September before the expansion had even been approved and we hope Reading Borough Council and the school can find a solution that works for the whole community - and not just the few.”

More than 200 responses have already been made and the council will meet to discuss the plans on May 30.

The Heights is already at capacity with 225 students at currently operates from a temporary site on Gosbrook Road.

Councillor Tony Jones, lead member for Education, added: “This is a practical solution which would enable The Heights Primary School to accommodate 50 new reception children in each of the following two years, starting in September 2018, while The Heights wait for a permanent site to be found."