A DEMOLITION order on Father Christmas's grotto has been put on ice.

Parish councillors at Fawley walked into a storm when they decided to knock down a bus shelter in the village square after residents had complained about nuisance caused by teenagers at night. The organisers of the village Christmas fair quickly pointed out that the shelter was used for Father Christmas's grotto and embarked on a Save our Shelter campaign.

And they won their case when an overwhelming majority of parish councillors signed a proposal asking for the demolition to put on hold. For the decision taken in October to be deleted within six months of being made, the council's rules require a petition signed by ten councillors then for a two-thirds majority at a council meeting to be in favour of reversal.

Ten councillors have now signed, which means the parish can think again on December 13.

At the public services meeting, nine councillors signed a proposal by the Rector, the Rev Gary Philbrick, that the full implications of the issue should be considered and that efforts should be made to reduce any night-time misbehaviour.

The committee agreed that no demolition should take place at least until after the next council meeting.

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