A COUPLE'S dream of creating a fantasy wood full of elves and goblins has been shattered.

Former seaman Harry Davison and his wife, Val, have already spent £30,000 buying and developing their Elfinwood on the outskirts of Crook, County Durham.

They planned to turn the seven-acre wood into a tourist attraction, with walkways, tree bridges and Hobbit houses, based on the classic children's book, The Lord of the Rings, by Norwegian writer Tolkien.

But, following a site visit, members of Wear Valley District Council's planning committee, have voted against the fairytale development.

They have decided that access to the attraction, which lies next to the busy A689 road, would be a major safety hazard and old mine workings under the wood would be a potential danger, particularly to children.

The Davisons, who live at Howdon, North Tyneside, said they were devastated by the councillors' decision.

"It boils down to this," said Mr Davison. "This Labour council does not care about the things that children may like. In fact, it seems they don't even like children".

The couple were too upset to discuss the future of Elfinwood.

Planning committee chairman Councillor Alan Townsend said Wear Valley council was always in favour of tourist developments and the jobs they could bring to a depressed area. But they had to be in the right place.

When they bought the wood last summer, Mr Davison, a lover of the works of Tolkien since childhood, described it as "a magical place".

He said: "As soon as we walked among the trees, we felt it was something rather special. You could feel the atmosphere there."