RESIDENTS living in a quiet and leafy lane in Swanage are in a fight to save their gardens.

Stunned homeowners in Purbeck Terrace Road have been sent letters from Dorset County Council warning them they have 14 days to prepare an outline of how they propose to remove their 'enclosures' from the highway.

Father-of-three Paul Ridges, who has lived in the road for 12 years, said: "These are family homes and they are taking away gardens from children.

"We were all quite shocked - at first we didn't know what situation they were talking about. We believe there is a hidden agenda and we would like to know what it is."

Gill Nice, who has lived in the road since 1963, said: "All the time I have lived here everyone has used the land enclosed or for hard-standing for cars.

"This is an unmade road and no council has spent a penny on it. In 1970 the residents had to pay for three mature Dutch Elm trees to be removed because they were diseased. The town council, district council and county council all refused to do the work saying the land did not belong to the council."

She added: "I think we should start sending bills to the council for all the work people have done in the past to keep it nice."

Maria Williams, who has lived in the road for 11 years, said: "When we bought the house there were shrubs and a piece of grass with a fence around it - we just thought it was our garden."

A spokesman for Dorset County Council said: "We will be meeting with the residents and their solicitor at the site to examine the issue and listen to the residents' concerns.

"Historical maps dating from 1902 to 2000 clearly show the obstruction onto the highway but we are keen to work with residents to resolve the matter."

She added that a complaint from an unnamed source had prompted a council highways engineer to investigate the road.

She said: "Dorset County Council was not aware of the issue, but now it has been brought to our attention we have to investigate."