GARDENERS are to be given their old allotments back after a battle with a council.

The Hartlepool allotment-holders were told yesterday that a decision had been taken in principle to re-instate them at their old Briarfields site, in the West Park area of town.

The council's cabinet agreed to defer the matter, so the issue could be discussed at length next week between gardeners and portfolio holder Councillor Robbie Payne and fine details ironed out.

Hartlepool Borough Council evicted the gardeners from their sites, with the hope of selling the land to developers to help meet budget shortfalls.

However, the Local Government Ombudsman this summer said the eviction had been a case of "maladministration" on the part of the council and suggested the sites be given back.

The council proposed a number of options to solve the issue including reinstating them at Briarfields at an estimated cost of £117,000.

Allotment-holders, however, said they believed it could be done cheaper, but said they would only accept the option of going back to their old site.

Last night, allotment-holder Dr Peter Pickens said yesterday's decision had been "a step in the right direction".

"They have already decided in principle that we go back to Briarfields and what now has to be discussed is the cost and the status of the allotments, and whether or not they should be considered statutory or not. If they are statutory, they won't be able to sell the land in future, unless they get consent from the Secretary of State," he added.

Coun Waller said: "Before we make a final decision, we need to make sure any final issues are resolved and that's what will happen at any future meetings."