CAMPAIGNERS opposing plans to sell of a wedge of land close to Liverpool's Sefton Park challenged Mayor Joe Anderson at this morning’s council cabinet.

Around a dozen braved the ice and snow to attend the Millennium House meeting to voice their objections.

They said the land, known as Sefton Park Meadows, was a diverse nature reserve and that selling it off to a developer would kill off the local wildlife.

But Mayor Anderson said he believed the relatively small piece of land was unimportant considering the 240 acre park close by.

The plan is to put up for sale the “incidental space” with a view to seeing high-quality housing developed there.

Campaigner Martin Dobson told the meeting: “If you sell off this space then the nature reserve will be completely destroyed.

“There’s wildlife and wild flowers, it’s not gardened, the weeds are not dug up, it’s a natural resource.”

Green group deputy leader Cllr John Coyne said he believed the council would be better off trying to get planning permission for housing before putting it up for sale in order to boost its value.

A report before the cabinet suggested that similar plots of land had sold for up to £10m.