Campaigners against Government plans to build a secondary school on part of a playing field took their fight to Downing Street.

More than 4,000 people have signed a petition against the proposal to give part of the land in Old Shoreham Road, Hove, to The King’s free school.

The signatures were presented to 10 Downing Street last night with the support of Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas.

The Education Funding Agency, the Government body responsible for the allocation, admitted the plan was not ideal but added it was the “best possible site”.

Dr Lucas, who has also tabled an Early Day Motion calling on education secretary Michael Gove to ditch the controversial plans, said: “This is a Government which likes to preach about localism and devolving power to local decision makers, yet here it is barging into Brighton and Hove with plans to concrete over a piece of much-valued land against the wishes of the local community.”