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A campaign has been launched to protect a popular Fife park from having a care home built on it.
Anstruther residents are outraged that part of Bankie Park could be used to replace ageing Ladywalk House.
They claim it would leave children with no nearby green space to play on and deprive others who use it, including dog walkers and a rugby club.
Fife Health and Social Care Partnership and Fife Council are consulting on the preferred site.
If approved, the adjacent Ladywalk House site would be returned to parkland but the Keep Bankie Park Green group said that local people had worked hard over 10 years to raise funds and improve facilities at Bankie Park.
Group spokesperson Susanne McElhinney said: “Anstruther is a small town, we really value our local park, it’s a key central place for people to meet.
“We put blood, sweat and tears into this park because we know it was the lifeblood of the community, and we did it for our children to enjoy a fun childhood playing with their friends in the park,” she said.
“Now all our hard work is not just being ignored but completely undone.
“This proposal to build over this land would leave nowhere for our children to play within walking distance, and will take away the only green space we have, which isn’t even that large.”
A petition has gathered more than 1,300 signatures and local children have written letters to Fife Council chief executive Steve Grimmond.
North East Fife MSP Willie Rennie criticised the staging of the consultation during the summer holidays and called for an extension.
He said: “It is supremely ill-judged to organise a consultation about development on a park when the families that use it most are probably on holiday.
“Bankie Park is well used and cherished by people in Anstruther and there is real anxiety about the plans for Ladywalk House.”
The partnership said it had contacted Friends of Bankie Park, local councillors and community councillors.
Julie Paterson, divisional general manager, said: “Fife Health and Social Care Partnership is exploring options to locate a new care home that will replace Ladywalk House in Anstruther.
“This is an initial consultation, no decisions have been made, and we want to hear what local people think.
“We have met with the local community council, we have started this initial consultation and we will ensure further opportunities to gather and take into account as many views as possible.
“We want to assure the local community that the health and social care partnership is committed to maximising opportunities to include as many local people as possible as part of this process.”
The consultation runs until July 27.
