A decision barring sea scouts from sailing on the lakes at Andover's Rooksbury Mill is being challenged.

The 2nd Andover Sea Scouts group wants to take part in organised boating activities once a week, with the option of using the area at weekends.

"We have more than 50 members, from beavers and cubs to scouts. At the moment we sail at Calshott some 40 miles away," said group scout leader David Facey.

"When Test Valley Borough Council acquired Rooksbury Mill we asked if the 2nd Andover Sea Scout Group could use the lake for dinghy sailing. Test Valley rejected the request without logical explanation. They say the lake is too deep and weedy," he added.

The scouts claim the borough council didn't give them an opportunity to present their case to the working party set up to look at the best way of utilising the area. And at a recent meeting of the Andover Councillors Forum the sea scouts asked if the decision could be overturned.

But Ian McKie, the head of leisure services at Test Valley said Rooksbury Mill was only ever been intended as a nature reserve and conservation area.

"However meritorious the activity may be, the area is not conducive with physical sports. It is not a recreation area and sailing is totally the wrong exercise to pursue there. Aside from this, there is a huge safety issue as the area is unpatrolled. The last thing I want is other children to see sailing taking place and for them to think it's okay to take their boats out and for them to get into trouble," said Mr McKie.

"I took the operational decision to say 'no' to the sea scouts. They have been offered Charlton lakes for sailing or canoeing.

"The councillors can overturn this decision if they want at committee but they will be exposing themselves to all sorts of liability issues. As far as I'm concerned, I'm sticking to my position."

At the forum, the scouts group was offered a meeting with Richard McIntosh from leisure services. They are encouraged by that and say they will fight on.