CAMPAIGNERS say a council has jumped the gun by starting work on a temporary car park on recreation land.

Bulldozers have started removing topsoil on part of The Sands area of common land next to the River Wear in Durham, for a Durham City Council car park that will replace the Walkergate car park, itself due to be redeveloped.

The Save Our Sands action group, made up of local residents, opposed the plan but its bid to thwart it was unsuccessful as an inspector gave it the go-ahead after a public inquiry earlier this year.

The group is planning to challenge the decision by seeking a judicial review.

Group secretary David Williams said: "They shouldn't have started work until December 19 because we had three months from the date of the decision to make our challenge.

"They are doing it in opposition to what the inspector said in the report and to what council leader Sue Pitts said, that work would not start until work started at Walkergate.

"We haven't heard anything of AMEC starting on the Walkergate site.''

Mr Williams said the group had raised the money to pay a barrister to advise if it had a case for a judicial review.

A council spokesman said work on The Sands had to start now because Walkergate car park would be going out of use in the near future as the redevelopment started.

"We have been served notice to get out of the car park and we want to make sure there is a smooth transition and no disruption to the city's car parking. The amount of space taken on The Sands is less because we will also be using the former Post Office site nearby.''