PROTESTERS are fighting to save an ancient footpath from being destroyed by a housing development.

Campaigners say the footpath, known as Cock Alley, is used by children and should be preserved. It is under threat from plans to build six houses with 14 parking spaces on a site backing onto Fishpool Street, between Kings Road and Offa Road.

The Kings Road and Cock Alley action groups are flooding the area with posters and have collected a 300 names on a petition calling on St Albans District Council to reject the plans.

They say the development will increase traffic around already dangerous junctions with Mount Pleasant.

The groups are supported by St Albans MP Kerry Pollard, who helped fight a similar application to build on a neighbouring site in 1992. That was turned down when a government planning inspector said it would cause road safety problems and that the green space should be preserved.

Action group spokesman Mark Sutton said: 'Traffic at the junction is bad enough already, it is a completely blind spot, nothing has changed since the last application. In addition to the added traffic, an ancient footpath would be breached and eight mature trees would need to be felled if the plans were approved.'

A spokesman for the district council said the site would be the subject of an archaeological dig to determine its historic value before any decision was made.

The application is likely to be considered by councillors in September.