AFTER months of debate councillors have decided to tear down eighteenth-century decorative wooden fencing in Guisborough.

But Redcar and Cleveland Council stressed the fencing, at the Grade II-listed Sunnyfield House, must be replaced with identical metal fencing.

The councillors defied their own planning officers and dismissed objections by The Ancient Monuments Society and English Heritage to approve the application by Guisborough Town Council.

The town council said the old fencing was in bad repair, had become a target for vandals and should be replaced with hardier cast metal.

The two heritage organisations said the replacement would run counter to their policy of recommending preservation of historic features.

A report to Redcar and Cleveland councillors from planning officers also said: "It is quite rare for decorative timber features such as these to have survived from the late 1700s, and is unique in this part of the country. They are therefore very special. Metal is an inappropriate material to use for the replacement screens."

Councillors agreed to grant permission as long as the new screen fencing is identical. Coun Steve Kay said: "You can't always be too squeamish about these things. Anybody passing will see something entirely identical to what is already there."