FARNHAM Rugby Club remains upbeat about its relocation hopes despite being sent a clear message by up to 400 people that they do not want the accompanying David Lloyd Leisure centre in their backyard.

At a packed public meeting at TS Swiftsure Sea Cadets building in Weybourne, about half-a-mile from the club's hoped-for new home in Monkton Lane, seemingly all the people present raised their hands when asked if they opposed the proposal.

Earlier the audience had heard the rugby club state its case, and while many members of the public were sympathetic to its need for better facilities, the speakers were, with only two exceptions - one of whom was a rugby club player - firmly against the 15 metre-high leisure centre building and its 260 parking spaces, 11 tennis courts, four badminton courts and 25-metre swimming pool.

The meeting heard that the successful Farnham Rugby Club, where England star Jonny Wilkinson started playing aged 11, is badly let down by inadequate facilities voted the worst in Surrey.

In a presentation, chairman Geoff Robins said the club, which has 250 playing members and a wider membership of 1,000, has three small pitches, two sloping and one waterlogged.

Mr Robins, a former player, described the clubhouse as "dilapidated" and access roads as "totally inadequate". As a result, he said, the club loses revenue, has to artificially limit its numbers and struggles to keep its players.

Faced with these problems, the club began looking at potential relocation sites 10 years ago and Monkton Lane is the most suitable site. The owner of the field has agreed a price for the land which is far more than the rugby club can afford, so David Lloyd Leisure has agreed they will buy it and the site will become a combined rugby club/leisure centre, if planning permission is granted.

Local Liberal Democrat Waverley councillor Stewart Edge, who chaired, and was one of the local Lib Dems who called Tuesday's meeting, said the earliest the planning application is likely to go before a Waverley planning sub-committee is August 6. If that sub- committee refuses planning permission, David Lloyd Leisure and the club could appeal and that would "almost certainly" result in a public inquiry.

During passionate question-and-answer sessions it was Weybourne Road resident Mike Bedlow who found himself people's champion when he walked to the front of the hall and held court for 15 minutes on the drawbacks of the development.

Chief concerns raised were about the risk of the site flooding - indeed the very building where the meeting was held was badly flooded in January - traffic, light pollution from floodlights and whether the David Lloyd facility would really be used by local people or more wealthy outsiders able to pay the average yearly membership fees of £800.

Farnham Rugby Club treasurer Andy Rubio was not disheartened.

"It was disappointing but we were not at all surprised by the reaction because that's the sort of person you get at these meetings - the vocal minority, the silent majority don't come. We know there's a base of support in the area."