The trademark coffin of the Keep Barnet Alive (KBA) movement will make an appearance next week when hundreds of frustrated Bees fans urge councillors not to leave the club dead and buried.

The organisation, founded in 1998 after the football club's failed move to Copthall Stadium, has re-formed in response to Barnet Council's lack of support over the Bees' attempts to find a new home.

Fans will carry the coffin which symbolises the death of the club if it is forced out of the borough to Tuesday's full council meeting at Hendon Town Hall to urge councillors to back a motion for the sale of the south Underhill site to the club.

Janet Matthewson, the new chairwoman of KBA, said: "If the club were given a chance in this borough they could make a big impact on the community. They Barnet FC offer 9,200 coaching sessions per year to children, that is not small fry. They could offer so much more if they were given a home in Barnet.

"We do understand the Green Belt issue and if Barnet were trying to move from another part of the borough then maybe I would have more reservations but they have been there for 114 years. We want all Barnet fans and residents to come to the town hall on Tuesday and make their voices heard."

Councillor Alan Williams, who proposed the motion, hopes it will begin negotiations on the possible sale of the south Underhill freehold.

He said: "With Labour and Liberal Democrat votes, just two Conservative councillors supporting the club will be enough on the evening. It might just be possible. If the council isn't prepared to act itself, then we've simply got to try everything we can to keep the club in the borough."

July 4, 2002 11:00