Campaigners from Farnham have urged Altonians to think about their actions downstream ahead of another key meeting for the future of a town beauty spot.

Sally Ferguson and her fellow Farnham Water Rangers will show their support for the pond and river option when the Assembly Rooms hosts the next Kings Pond community and stakeholder group meeting next Tuesday, November 11.

She said: “The River Wey runs through this pond and it turns from being a beautiful chalk stream to being a mucky polluted river that eventually comes through Gostrey Meadow in Farnham.

“If the people who love to feed the geese have their way then Kings Pond will essentially remain the same and the north River Wey will lose its chance at restoration to a beautiful chalk river.”

Alton town councillor Matthew Kellermann, a pond supporter, said: “The idea that prior to Kings Pond the river is a natural chalk stream, subsequently rendered ‘mucky’, is either purposely misleading or an indication of amazing ignorance.

“The offline - now increasingly simply anti-pond - arguments were based originally on an unrealisable fantasy. Now, from some quarters, there appears to be an entrenched desire to kill the pond no matter what.”

Town councillor Don Hammond, who will lead the 6pm meeting, said: “Landowners and users of the river downstream of Kings Pond can be considered as stakeholders in its future, so they are welcome to attend and participate in the Kings Pond community and stakeholder group meetings.

“However, we must be clear that Kings Pond is in Alton and is owned by Alton Town Council.

“When all the discussions and investigations of options are complete, and we get to full public consultation, it will be for the residents of Alton to make their wishes clear and for Alton Town Council to make the decisions.”