THE last remaining bowling green in Colne has been saved after a heartfelt plea from a dad who set up a bowling academy after his son died tragically at the age of 23.

A report by Pendle deputy chief executive Philip Mousdale suggested that Alkincoats Bowling Green had become so plagued with anti-social behaviour that it needed to undergo a change of use.

But Daryl Wright, keen bowler and chairman of the Philip Wright Crown Green Bowling Academy, which he set up in honour of his son, told the Pendle and District Committee the green had to be preserved.

Mr Wright said later: “It is the last green in Colne and we need to keep it. Currently, the academy practises at Colne cricket ground on a Saturday morning and it’s brilliant for us to say that from 2015, we’ll be playing on a proper green again. We didn’t think we’d win.

“It sounded like they had the backing of the Colne in Bloom team and the community police. But when we turned up at the meeting, it turned out nobody had heard about the plans to turn it into a community garden and, after we spoke passionately about the need to keep the green, everyone agreed with us.

“It’s a great victory for us that the green will be kept with the full backing of the council.”

Mr Wright’s son, Philip, was a keen bowler before his life was cut tragically short by a car accident in Skipton Old Road.

Mr Wright argued that the anti-social behaviour at Alkincoats green was not as pronounced as the report seemed to suggest.

He said: “There are a few kids that have been hanging about over the summer but that’s to be expected. It’s the summer holidays. If we get the green back up and running again we can get them involved and engage with them.”

Mr Mousdale explained: “The suggestion for a community garden was originally put forward by two members of the Friends of Alkincoats Park and we thought it was a good idea, given that there had been no demand for bowls for some years.

“We felt it would be more useful to the community and would help to discourage groups congregating there.

“Following the area committee’s decision to reinstate the bowling green, we will be sitting down with the academy and plan to start work on it as soon as possible.”