A "WEAK-WILLED" council is to blame for problems surrounding a football club's new stadium, a public meeting was told last night.

About 70 people living near the Reynolds Arena, in Darlington, which will hold its first match tomorrow, attended the meeting to discuss alleged breaches of planning conditions by the club and the lack of a parking scheme for fans and residents.

Resident Marcus Nimmo said he blamed Darlington Borough Council and not club chairman George Reynolds for the chaos he expected to ensue at the game.

"The underlying problem, it seems to me, is that we are up against a weak-willed council. They are taking absolutely no notice of the important people - the people in the vicinity.

"I'd like to gun for the council any which way I can."

His words were met with a polite round of applause from a muted audience of about 70 people.

Earlier, when Jan Mazurk, chairman of the Neasham Road Action Group, asked the audience if they would work together to fight the council she received a lukewarm response and several cries of "No".

The group says the stadium should not be allowed to open because several planning conditions have not been fulfilled.

Mrs Mazurk said a residents' parking scheme should have been in place, a footpath under the bridge at Neasham Road should have been extended, signs should have been installed on the A66 and former ground Feethams should have been properly maintained.

No one from the council, the club or the police attended the meeting.

Residents at the meeting, at the town's Buster's pub, were asked to sign a petition to be sent to the Local Government Ombudsman.

The petition objects to a council decision to grant an extended entertainment licence for the club.