The fate of People's Park will be decided following a five-day public inquiry scheduled for September, it was revealed this week.

Now supporters of the park are urging residents to offer their help in saving the park and have it classified as a town green.

A public meeting has been called at Sudbury Town Hall on Monday, May 19 at 7.30pm. Campaigners will be asking for professional help and donations as they try to stop West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust selling the land for housing.

Campaigner Jill Fisher said: "We really did hope that the public inquiry could be put back to give us more time, but it seems that there are some dates that some can manage and some cannot, so we have had to give in to these dates.

"We have said often enough that this is the last chance to save People's Park, but this really is the last chance saloon.

"We have organised the meeting at the town hall and we need as many people as possible to come along and show their support.

"We really need professional help, in any capacity, and donations to give us a chance to get the best legal help.

"We also want to hear from anyone who uses the park. This is really important."

Campaginers have formed a working party, called the People's Park Preservation Association, to take the battle to West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust.

The dates for the public inquiry were agreed on Tuesday after a meeting at Suffolk County Council which has the powers to declare the land as "common land".

Lawyers from the West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust attended, as did Sudbury campaigners Mrs Fisher, Alan Mayes and Lord Andrew Phillips.

It was settled that the inquiry will begin on September 22, with the venue to be confirmed.

West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust had orginally earmarked the land as the site of a new hospital for the town – but houses could now be built on it.

Chris Bown, chief executive of the trust, told people at Sudbury's annual town meeting last month that the sale of People's Park was a key element to reducing £9million of debt.