WELCOME to Millennium Park.

That's what one of Brighton or Hove's central parks may be called if a weird and wonderful plan to graze wild animals is approved.

Visitors may soon see Highland cattle, wild ponies and goats roaming freely.

Council chiefs say a Dutch idea to turn urban parks bordered by busy main roads into mini-wildernesses could work in Brighton.

And now they are putting forward the proposal as a scheme to mark the millennium.

But the plan has already attracted heavy criticism from animal experts who say wild ponies and goats could be injured or killed by traffic.

In a report going to Brighton and Hove Council's parks committee tomorrow, officers say Saunders Park, Preston Park, Withdean Park or Hove Park could be suitable.

Only one would be chosen. It would be given wilderness status.

Environment director Alan McCarthy admitted creating an urban wilderness in Brighton could be highly controversial.

But he added: "It does have a proven track record of success in Holland where one or two schemes have proved very successful within central urban areas."

The extraordinary proposal has come from a brain-storming session held by council officers invited to submit ideas for the millennium.

Among them was tree expert Alistair Peters, who has been to Holland to view the scheme.

Coun Simon Battle, chairman of the council's parks committee, said: "I am a bit dubious about the idea, but I do not want to close off my mind to it.

"I am interested to know how it works but I would not want to see it go ahead just yet. It is very early days.

"The point about these parks is that they are set up in urban areas and create a very dramatic impact.

"Hove Park is very historic. If it was turned into a jungle it would not go down very well."

Others are totally against the idea.

Francis Hix, chairman of the Brighton and Mid Sussex branch of the RSPCA, said: "I do not think it is a very good idea to put wild animals in urban areas.

"Brighton's parks are really only suitable for dog walking.

"Ponies and goats could be stolen and they would be at serious risk from road traffic."

Doug Wilson is the secretary of the Saunders Park View Tenants' Association.

Drug abuse in the park has been a recent problem, sparking concern that it would be utterly unsuitable as a wilderness.

Mr Wilson said: "I do a lot of independent animal rescue and I can honestly say that anyone who is thinking about turning Saunders Park into a wilderness needs serious psychological treatment."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.