A secret report into the sale of land owned by Tranmere Rovers is to be revealed to the public.

A judge has ruled there is “a significant public interest” in seeing the document, which relates to Ingleborough Road memorial field.

Planning permission was given in 2012 to build new homes on the field, which was sold to Rovers by Wirral Council in the 1990s.

Consent to build on the land was controversial as Ingleborough is a dedicated memorial to 88 former pupils of Birkenhead Institute who lost their lives in World War One.

A key report from outside consultants was commissioned by the authority and seen by councillors on the planning committee.

But its contents were never made available to the public - and Old Boys of Birkenhead Institute have been campaigning for it to be released.

They say Wirral Council “has done everything in its power” to prevent them seeing the document.

But at a special tribunal hearing, the local authority was told it must now hand it over.

A spokesman for Birkenhead Institute Old Boys said: “Release of the report - which we have been fighting to see for 16 months - will throw helpful light on the issue and reveal just how much the club intended to pocket from the sale of this land.

“It is regrettable that council officers have found it necessary to work so hard to prevent the report becoming public, until now.

“When we have sight of it, we will consider our options and take advice on further possible action.”

The council said it will of course comply with all legal requirements and details of how and when the report will be published are being finalised.

Tranmere has recently applied to set up football pitches and training facilities on the Solar Campus site in Leasowe.

The application is likely to come before the town hall's planning committee in April.