A ROUND table discussion will be held to bring "closure" to a dispute over a young offenders' smallholding project.

Trustees of the 'Growing Out of Crime' project devised by TV gardener Monty Don and the Probation Service will meet Monkland parish councillors.

The trustees - who are continuing a search for a North Herefordshire site - aim to find out where they went wrong after causing uproar with plans to base it in Monkland.

The pilot scheme, on part of Jonathan Bengough's Wall End Farm, was rejected by angry villagers after a lease was signed before consultation was carried out.

The project, featuring youth offenders growing vegetables and caring for livestock in a six-part TV series, was rejected by 98 to 36 votes in a parish poll.

There was an 82.7 per cent turnout. The referendum carries no legal weight but project leaders pledged not to continue at Monkland "in the teeth of opposition".

Probation chief David Chantler who, together with Monty Don, endured the wrath of some villagers at a public meeting last week returned to the village on Monday.

He was heartened by the size of the yes vote and by villagers who approached him saying the scheme "made sense".

"There's still work to do in terms of closure. It is important that the truth is established for the record," said Mr Chantler.

The project had been hampered by "misinformation", including a rumour that young offenders would camp on the land in tents. There was no residential aspect to the plans.

Monkland parish clerk Ki Barnes said the poll result offered an "element of hope" to the project organisers.

"Its an indication that if they have consulted properly and not left things to wild rumour... they might have got a different result.

"The principle of the project is very sound, it's the way they went about it that was wrong."

Mrs Barnes said she and five parish councillors would meet the trustees to help them assess "what went wrong and how it can be done better".