Hundreds of people have joined a campaign to prevent an access point to a field from being closed.

People living in Kingsfield Road, in Harrow-on-the-Hill, have launched a petition against the plans to close off access to Church Fields.

A notice from Harrow Borough Council, which leases the land, was put up at the field's entrance informing people of the changes.

The council says the closure is due to a covenant on the land, owned by the John Lyon Foundation, part of the Harrow Foundation.

Richard Parker, who lives on the road, said: "A lot of people are quite suspicious about it. It's our main access to the hill and meadow and we don't really understand why it is going to been done.

"The first any of us heard about it was a couple of weeks ago when we saw the notice.

"Everyone on the road enjoys walking up to the hill and it would be shame if it was to be closed. It has been open to the public for such a long time and it seems a bit over the top to put a gate there."

Alex Wilke said: "The entrance is a main walkway for parents and children for the nearby primary school.

"If they close the entrance it means parents will be stopping on the bottom of the road and causing a lot of traffic and congestion.

"The main thing people want to know is why it is going to be closed."

An online petition has also been started by people on the street against the closure of the access point and it has attracted 284 signatures.

It says: "The residents and the wider Hill community are angered and baffled by this action.

"Kingsfield Road has been open to the Hill since living memory, is a much admired view and is in constant use by workers, school children, tourists, dog walkers, ramblers and local residents."

A spokeswoman for the Harrow Foundation it was Harrow Council's responsibility to preserve the field boundaries.

They added: "Since this issue came to light, we have been investigating how the council can fulfil their legal obligations, while addressing the concerns local residents and other users have raised.

"In order to maintain all parties' enjoyment of the site, we will be contacting the Council in the next day or two to discuss some options.

"We will be able to comment further in due course. We have been grateful for feedback from local residents and other users, which we hope will enable us to reach a mutually agreeable solution for all involved."

Those interested in seeing the petition can do so by clicking here.