HISTORIC evidence concerning threatened war memorial fields has been uncovered by their strongest supporter.

Dean Johnson, who has led the fight against Tranmere Rovers selling off land at Ingleborough Road, has found two newspaper articles from 1926 about a special event to mark its status.

The archives show the mayor at the time speaking about the memorial site and also photographs of a commemorative stone being laid.

Mr Johnson is now hoping to liaise with local councillors to save the former Birkenhead Institute site.

He said: “There is much conjecture and mis-information being perpetrated by supporters of the housing development.

"When originally dedicated the mayor at the time said it was a worthy memorial to those who had lost their lives, and would perpetuate the memory of the boys of the Institute who responded to the call of their country, and fought and died during the war, to generations of future students of the Institute.

“We still owe a debt to those boys and should not build on their memories. People can come and read the facts for themselves. There is no admission charge to view the material.

“Following the local elections we shall be speaking to the councillors representing the Prenton ward along with the Wirral Council’s War Memorial Officer to try save the memorial fields from destruction.”

The controversial plans, which were withdrawn by Tranmere Rovers in February, include building almost 100 new homes on the Ingleborough Road playing fields.

Proposals to revamp Woodchurch Leisure Centre, which went hand-in-hand with Ingleborough Road, were also pulled but it is believed that revised plans will be re-submitted.

The Tranmere Rovers Supporters Trust, which has thrown its weight behind the scheme, argued that the local community supported the plans.

Chairman Ben Harrison said that if the plans were to be re-submitted and approved, the memorial plaque would be restored and moved to a more prominent location within the site.

Rovers fans are always fiercely backing the sale of the fields as it could be vital to secure the future of the club.

However opponents to the project say the whole field, which has 88 trees to remember the same number of fallen heroes, is a tribute to the war dead.