USERS of a popular dene say they have been left “reeling” after they found out the area is to be sold off.

Those who enjoy walking in Stanhope Dene, in Weardale, said they have only just found out the 82-acre site is up for sale by the Church Commissioners for England and is due to be put to auction on November 29.

Weardale residents Pam and Ian Forbes are leading a group of objectors who have vowed to look at ways they can stall the sale and have the land registered as a community asset.

Mrs Forbes accused the Commissioners of keeping information from users which had “left everybody reeling”.

She said: “Stanhope Dene is an area of beautiful beech woodland, and reclaimed quarry, rich in wildlife and cultural/industrial heritage; a well-used and much-loved asset for the people of Stanhope and the dale and for our visitors.”

Mrs Forbes said the dene was established as a place of public recreation in the 1890s and the news had come “completely out of the blue”.

She said: “There is considerable local public interest in ensuring that the dene’s natural and cultural heritage can be conserved, and that local people and visitors can continue to enjoy it as they have for almost 130 years.”

Mrs Forbes said the group had had support from the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (North Pennines AONB) Partnership as well as the Durham Wildlife Trust and the Woodlands Trust.

She added: “There is a move to try to halt the sale to give the community time to identify the relevant opportunities and liabilities and the best legal vehicle for pursuing the purchase ourselves.

“Matters are at a very early stage, but there is a huge groundswell of local support to try and make sure that the dene is preserved for the community. Representatives from the community are also currently investigating having the land registered as an Asset of Community Value with Durham County Council. “

Stanhope resident, William Giles, 68, added: “I think the dene is a fantastic place. The Beech woodland is superb and it would be a crying shame to see them take it.”

A spokesman for the Church Commissioners, confirmed the land was up for sale after a contract with a local mineral operator had come to an end.

He said: “We have decided to sell the land following the expiry of this agreement and the fact that this is an area of land isolated from the bulk of the Commissioners’ property portfolio.

“In the preparation for sale we have uncovered nothing on the title to suggest that the land in question was gifted to the people of Stanhope.

“As part of the sale, the use of the land will be restricted to agriculture and forestry.

“We are aware that the land is crossed by a number of footpaths and these rights of way will be protected as part of any sale.”

A spokeswoman for Durham County Council said no application had yet been received while Jim Cokill, director of Durham Wildlife Trust said there was nothing they could do to stop the sale of the site but the trust did want to see the land used in a wildlife-friendly way.

A spokesperson for the Woodlands Trust also said they had pointed the group to helpful guidance.

Chris Woodley-Stewart, Director of the North Pennines AONB Partnership, added: “The North Pennines AONB Partnership is supportive of community steps to secure the future of Stanhope Dene. The site has local conservation importance and is much loved by the community. Like everyone else, we’d like to see long term public access to the dene and sound conservation management.”