CAMPAIGNERS battling to save a nursery under threat of closure are furious after being banned from petitioning thousands of visitors.

The Unison trade union had been allowed a stand at the first weekend of the annual Horticultural Festival in the threatened Cozenton Nursery at Rainham.

But at the weekend they were told by Richard Simmons, Medway council's director responsible for the parks service, that they were no longer welcome.

The previous weekend they collected 1,200 signatures supporting the nursery service. They had a stall among the plant sellers, council stands and horticultural groups. Unison hoped to collect another 1,000 signatures last weekend.

The union has been fighting suggestions by Dr Simmons' team to close the nursery since last February. None of the plans have been considered by the council which has asked for a review next spring.

The officers are reviewing the entire parks and countryside service which employs 68 people. They include the country park wardens at Riverside and Capstone Farm.

Unison spokesman Brian Kelly said: "The council is trying to stifle us. We just wanted to collect opinions as to whether people wanted the horticultural festival and horticultural services provided by the nursery to continue."

A spokesman for Medway Council said: "Earlier this year a meeting of Medway Council's full council decided not to proceed with a reorganisation of its trees, parks and gardens service.

"This position has not changed in any way and there are currently no plans to close Cozenton Nursery."