THE Government abandoned its controversial plans to privatise England's public forests in the face of widespread criticism today.

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman announced to MPs in the Commons that "we got this one wrong", as she said she was halting the public consultation into the proposals.

She also said she was removing the powers to push forward with the move from the Public Bodies Bill currently going through Parliament.

The proposals to offload the public forest estate to companies, communities and charities had met with protests and criticism from conservation groups and campaigners, who hailed today's U-turn a victory for people power.

Full story and North-East reaction in tomorrow's Northern Echo