A HAZARDOUS area of grassland next to a football pitch is to be dug up and re-seeded so two new fields can be provided for young players.

Mill Meadow, off the A413 at Gravel Hill, Chalfont St Peter, had been deemed unsuitable for use because dangerous shards of glass have been coming to the surface .

But now the fields, which are owned by Chiltern District Council and occupy the site of a former landfill dumping ground, have been earmarked for redevelopment work costing more than £28,000.

At a meeting of the council's Community and Leisure Committee on Tuesday, Cllr Peter Lole (Con, Chalfont St Peter, Austenwood) argued: "These are open fields and people have not been barred from using them. For us to have playing fields with glass sticking through them so that kids can injure themselves is absolutely terrible we cannot have it."

Cllr John Warder (Con, Chalfont St Peter, Central) added: "We want to turn this land into pitches for juniors. But glass shards keep rising out of the ground. If anyone fell over they could cut themselves badly."

For the grass to be safe for use about 20cm of soil will have to be removed to make way for a special layer of material which will stop any more glass and debris from resurfacing.

The work is being backed by the Onyx Environmental Trust which has pledged £20,000 and Chiltern District Council has agreed to pledge the extra £8,500 needed for the excavation.