A group of Dymock residents, including parish councillor David Prout, attempted to buy a piece of land already earmarked for a village car park.

The bid, which has failed, was made public at Monday's Dymock Parish Council meeting at the Ann Cam School.

Council chairman John George read out a reply to the bidders from landowners, Gloucester-shire County Council. The letter pointed out that negotiations for the land were already in an advanced stage with Dymock Parish Council.

The county council also returned a £200 cheque, sent by the residents as a deposit.

If successful, the move would have scuppered plans for the car park, which is being opposed by as ection of villagers.

The land is behind the Old Forge Garage, which is owned by Coun Prout, who declared an interest at the meeting.

The land bid carried the names of Coun Prout, Chris Clark and Dennis Capewell.

After the meeting, Coun Prout said that about a dozen local residents had backed the attempt to buy the land.

"The main motive, more or less, was to stop the car park," he said, "But personally, I would have bought the land off them anyway, for my personal use."

The meeting was also due to discuss plans to reopen part of the Horseshoe Inn, in Broom's Green, as part of a scheme to run a bed and breakfast.

The council would normally have made a comment to the planning authority, Forest of Dean District Council. In a highly unusual development, the entire council was forced to declare an interest as the authority owns the Beauchamp Arms pub.

The move followed legal advice. Councillors are still free to write to planners giving an opinion as individuals but the council's collective view cannot be expressed.