THE owner of a farm, where residents claim they face an immediate threat of eviction, said he had offered for them to stay on the land for 20 years.

Michael Wenman the owner of Hill Farm, which houses historic plotland homes, claims residents refused the offer of a 20-year lease to stay on the land at no cost to them.

However, residents living in bungalows at the site in the Severn Valley near Bewdley say this is not the case and have launched a campaign to raise £2.5million to take him to court.

Mr Wenman said: "They were sent an open offer for 20 years and they refused it".

Mr Wenman added: "The court case they are running is being brought by them not me".

We previously reported how the group are campaigning to protect 163 families and their "right to remain in their homes".

The Hill Farm Residents Association claim that a recent change in the land's ownership has led to "unprecedented challenges," including a 300 per cent rent increase for a 12-month contract, which has led to several eviction notices.

The residents have raised £1.5million and started a GoFundMe page hoping to raise another million to take their case to the High Court in London.

As part of the appeal, the group said: "Our parents and grandparents settled here under informal agreements, creating a haven of peace and nature away from industrial life.

"However, we now face a significant challenge following the sale of the site on which our homes stand, heightened by an imbalance of power and resources.

"Our community ranges from the elderly, disabled and vulnerable to families with young children, all of whom deserve to live a life free from fear and homelessness.

"We need to raise £2.5 million to secure our tenure in court and protect our right to remain in our homes.

"This is our last chance to ensure that our homes, and the history they embody, are preserved for ourselves and future generations".