Shedfield resident, Steve Judge, has recruited Winchester MP, Mark Oaten, to help him fight the so-called "battle of the bunds".

Mr Judge, from Turkey Island, in the village near Bishop's Waltham, was furious when, despite his vociferous objections, Shedfield Parish Council decided to build to earth banks on the edge of the common to protect the land from travellers.

He says the new mounds are double the size they should be and a hazard because they stop cars turning round in the narrow road.

Villagers also say travellers have never camped out on the common.

Now Mr Oaten has joined the debate and he says he'll take up the problems of Shedfield's mounds with central Government.

"It's just red tape gone mad. It's so silly, it really is - and they have even asked me to go back to the Government, which set the criteria for how big the mounds should be. I am going to take it up," added Mr Oaten.

Mr Judge is also angry about the way the parish council has taken the decision, because he says it failed to consult residents.

"I'm very disappointed that the council went ahead with this because it's unreasonable," he said. "There were alternatives and they were just ignored. I think it's a lack of knowledge."

The feud over the banks has been rumbling on for years, but Mr Judge hopes to bring it to an end soon with the help of Mr Oaten.

"This is how the wheels of power move and I just have to move at the same time. I have felt that no matter what we say, the parish council are not interested.

"Mr Oaten just can't understand it - and now we're just waiting for the next council meeting to see what happens then," he said.

No-one from Shedfield Parish Council was available for comment