A BID by a Hampshire parish council to buy a piece of former Ministry of Defence land at East Dean for village use has failed.

Richard Newton, chairman of East Dean parish council, even put up £8,000 of his own cash to pay for the land at Glebe Meadow currently used as a children’s playing field.

But the auctioneers Andrews and Robertson says the 0.6acre piece of land, which had a price guide of £8,000 plus, did not reach the reserve price at last month’s sale and it was sold the following day to an unidentified buyer.

The grassroots authority had been trying to negotiate a £12,000 grant to buy the site prior to auction. But the decision on whether East Dean PC had been shortlisted for funding did not come until after the sale.

A Defence Estates spokesman promised the name of the buyer would be announced once contracts have been exchanged. The site is defined as open space used for informal recreation in Test Valley’s local plan and it has policies to protect it.