Dozens of residents have joined a fight to stop proposals for a cycle route to pass beside their homes and through a private garden.

The battle has begun after Christine and Adrian Naylor discovered the garden at their £350,000 home in Kingston Road, Thackley, had been designated as a route for a cycle track in the district's Unitary Development Plan (UDP).

The UDP is currently being considered at a public inquiry at Victoria Hall, Saltaire, and when finalised will be the yardstick for all planning applications over the next 15 years.

Mr and Mrs Naylor have also discovered they are too late to give evidence at the inquiry and can only attend as observers.

But now they have obtained almost 40 signatures from residents who would be affected and told the Council they strongly object to the proposal.

The residents have also told Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott of their opposition to the land allocation.

Mrs Naylor has written to planning manager Andy Haigh, who is dealing with the UDP, saying the route along a disused railway line would be a waste of money when cyclists could reach the same destination by road.

She said it would affect the privacy of all properties next to it and people feared youths using it could create a nuisance.

There were also concerns the track could be an escape route for burglars.

She has told Mr Haigh they want to attend the public inquiry and although there was supposed to have been widespread consultation on the UDP proposals none of the residents knew about the cycle track.

Mr Haigh said there had been consultation and although the objections could not be heard at the inquiry they would be considered by the Council before any scheme went ahead.