A CAMPAIGN launched to keep the sheep in Marlborough in reaction to a move by the town council to withdraw references to grazing rights from the Cooper’s Meadow Management Plan has been gathering support.

Marlborough Town Council’s open spaces committee has voted to make several amendments to the management plan.

Just hours after the issue was posted on the Marlborough Notice Board, a Keep the Sheep page was set up on Facebook that has gained more than 400 ‘likes’ since being launched last Thursday.

The town council decided to manage Coopers Meadow to recreate a meadow environment in 2009 and, if this new motion is to come into fruition, it will need to be approved by the full town council next Monday.

The land is owned by the town council but Action for the River Kennet (ARK) has been managing it for five years.

ARK volunteer Val Compton said: “I’m gobsmacked because I noticed a post about the sheep on Facebook and all I did was share that and then a girl I’ve never even met before set up a Keep the Sheep page.

“It’s really become a community campaign. What people love about walking around the meadow is the sheep, especially if you’ve got young children.”

An online petition has been set up by young ARK supporter Harry Forbes, which nearly 300 people have signed.

There are also hard copies in St Peter’s Church Café, Krumbz Café and Mercers Café.

Marlborough Town Council’s estate manager Richard Beale was asked to come up with a management plan in the spring.

Concerns were raised that there might be legal issues surrounding some aspects of the plan, including grazing rights, in relation to the original lease.

Shelley Parker, town clerk, said: “The plan is going to the full town council as a draft document and changes can be made to it.

“Hopefully by then I will have heard back from Wiltshire Council about any legal issues and we can make any changes necessary.”