Bearsted Parish Council has failed in its bid to secure a piece of woodland for the community, but there is still hope that a deal might be done.

When residents in Bearsted and Thurnham became aware that a parcel of woodland between Chapel Lane and the allotments by Bearsted Golf Club was coming up for sale - for the first time since 1971 - there was concern that the site could become a target for developers.

Although the land is officially in the parish of Thurnham, 65 residents attended a meeting of Bearsted Parish Council urging it to make a bid for the land, which was being auctioned through Clive Emson Auctioneers with a guide price of £150,000.

The parish agreed to set aside £75,000 for the purchase and appealed to the community for pledges for the rest.

But when the land reached auction on Monday night, the bidding quickly rose well above the guide line price.

The parish council went as high as £220,000 before being obliged to drop out of the running, but the 5.4 acres of land eventually sold for £262,000.

Auctioneer John Stockey said: “This lot really flew and there were a number of serious bidders."

However, the plot was bought by a Bearsted resident, and although Clive Emson won't reveal his identity, the new owner is known to the parish council.

The council said: "We are in discussion with the new owner about the future use of the land - which is likely to take some time."

The council asked residents for their patience and continued trust while councillors continued to seek a satisfactory resolution of the future use of the land.

The council will hold an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday to discuss the next step, but because it will concern commercial decisions, the meeting will be in closed session without the public admitted.

The land has been left untended since about 1980 and contains a number of mature hazel trees and some oaks. A derelict gate has allowed the public free access and for many years and it has been freely used by dog walkers and others.

In 2017, the then owners of the plot hired contractors to fell and burn all but the biggest trees. They had cleared most of the site, before an emergency Tree Preservation Order was issued on November 17.