Colonel's £50,000 birthday present to the council

Lt-Col Horace Fielder has offered eight acres of building land to his local council for £5 to stop homes being built on it

A councillor last night valued the land at £600,000

Col. Fielder, who was 66 yesterday, and is a holiday camp owner, wants the council at Canvey Island, Essex to turn the land into a park or sports ground

He said: “I love the countryside. I am sympathetic to people’s housing needs, but I feel that some green grass should be preserved for those who want to enjoy themselves near the sea.

“Canvey Island Is developing very paridly, and I thought this was a good opportunity for the council to have land for people’s benefit.”