A GROUP of allotment holders near Wotton-under-Edge were left distraught after a notice was pushed through their doors telling them to give up their plots within a year.

Several of those leasing land at Coombe allotments – believed to be the oldest allotments in Gloucestershire – have been gardening there for more than 40 years.

They have now rallied together to fight the eviction, pledging to do everything they can to hold on to the site.

On the morning of Saturday, March 21, the tenants of Coombe allotments awoke to find a notice to quit had been delivered by Loxley Solicitors on behalf of their landlord, Sue Ballinger.

Maggie Butt, in her 80s, moved into one of the weaver’s cottages in Coombe with her late husband John in the early 1970s. For her, as well as about 30 others, the notice came as a terrible shocking blow.

“For me, my stomach just turned. Emotionally the experience was really gut-wrenching,” she said. “My husband died four years ago and I’m closer to him here than I am anywhere.”

The owner of the allotment site is Sue Ballinger. Prior to that, it was owned jointly by Ms Ballinger and her then husband Lenny Ballinger, inherited from previous landlord Mary Bignall after she died in 2007. The allotments have been used continuously since at least 1847.

The plot holders have been left in the dark about the reasons behind the notice to quit and say they can’t understand why Miss Ballinger has decided to take this action despite the benefits the site provides for local people.

Mrs Butt continued: “It’s environmentally friendly, a place for social gathering, and wonderful for exercise.

“It’s beautiful here – I wish I could buy it.”

Despite such a short space of time passing since the notice first arrived, the residents are already moving to save the land.

Martin Clarke sparked a wave of response in the wider community by creating a Twitter profile entitled @FightforCoombe.

Fellow allotment holder Norman Dadd, 71, said: “I think it’s fair to say it’s galvanised the residents.

“For us older people it’s been wonderful to see what can be achieved through social media. The amount of support we’ve had coming through has been fantastic.”

When approached by the Gazette Ms Ballinger declined to comment. Following this, allotment holders claim to have received a message from Ms Ballinger on Tuesday morning stating: “As I explained when you enquired before, I have no plans to sell at the moment.

“I need the land the allotments are on for my horses as I am currently renting land in Coombe.”