Young footballers are upset after they were banned from playing matches in a park.

Halling Under 8s' coach Tom Stone has started an e-petition imploring the parish council to let his team of seven-year-olds keep playing at Upper Halling Recreation Ground in Browndens Road.

Many are upset about the ban and more than 400 people have signed the petition.

But Halling Parish Council, which owns the park, has defended its decision, saying the village has more appropriate sites for matches.

According to minutes from a 2014 meeting, the parish council received multiple complaints from people living near the park, claiming footballers were swearing and littering.

As a result, organised sport was banned.

However, Mr Stone, a prison officer, says he has since signed yearly contracts with the council and was allowed to both train his under 8s team and play matches.

The boys have had great success and won their league after just one year of playing together.

"I'm trying to get kids out the house and playing football... would the council rather they sat on their computers or loitered round the streets?" - Tom Stone

But a couple of weeks ago, two permanent goalposts were erected on the land so families can enjoy a kickabout.

It has left the pitch too small to play regulation five-a-side football.

Mr Stone says when he tried to re-sign the annual contract, he was told it couldn’t be renewed.

Mr Stone said: “I’m appalled the council has done this.

“I went to speak to them and it turns out the councillors decided to stop letting us play at a meeting.

“I’m trying to get kids out the house and playing football.

“Would the council rather they sat on their computers or loitered round the streets?

“They said one reason was that teenagers had been littering. Well our team are all seven year olds and we always have a litter pick at the end of the match.”

The dad-of-four believes the council simply does not like football.

Council chairman George Wenham said he would help Mr Stone and the football team if he put his needs in writing.

Mr Wenham said: “We asked him to write when he wanted the pitch and he did not.

"We also asked him to show us his public liability insurance but he did not.

“Everything we do is for the good of the people of Halling.

“We used £50,000 we made from the sale of the village fire station to improve the park.

"It’s for families and children to have a kickabout, not official matches.

“We’ve said the team can play at the school [Halling Primary School in Howlsmere Close] or in the much bigger Lower Halling Recreation Ground.

“I do like football, my son is a football coach - of course I want them to play.

"I’m sure the council can give some money to help the team if they move pitch.”

Mr Stone said he was not asked to write a list of fixtures and it was pointless to submit any requests now as the ban was in place.

He said Lower Halling Recreation Ground did not have enough parking for matches and he could not afford to rent the school football pitch.

• If you want to sign the petition visit tinyurl.com/yy496h6q

Read more: All the latest news from Medway