OPPONENTS of a proposed new tennis centre in Oxford turned out in force at a public exhibition of plans and artists' impressions of the development.

Protesters donned sports gear at the show, at Oxford University Rugby Club pavilion, in Iffley Road.

They said they were in the fight against the proposed six-court tennis centre at the university's Iffley Road sports ground for the marathon - not the four-minute mile - which was famously broken at the site by Sir Roger Bannister.

Prof Andrew Linzey, of Iffley Road, said: "There's a terrific head of steam to our campaign.

"All over Oxford, I'm meeting people who didn't know about the proposed building and are appalled.

"We're not just four- minute milers, we're in for the long haul. We are all expecting a marathon. We know that, even if the university is unsuccessful with their application this time, they will put in another."

He added: "The university should know that they have taken on absolutely determined local residents with formidable expertise and considerable public backing.

"We shall not give up. Nothing will make us back down - we shall pursue this to the very end."

Margaret Hebblethwaite, of Marston Street, wrote to Oxford City Council to object to the plan from Paraguay, where she is staying.

She said: "This would over-dominate the lovely Iffley Road and definitively destroy the view of green down towards the river.

"The damage would be permanent and irreversible. I was horrified when it was shown to me how high the building would stand."

The building would be nearly 26ft tall, with a curved zinc roof.

Dr Martin Henig, of Alexandra Road, is a member of the Civic and Oxford Preservation Societies and the Oxford Architectural and Historical Society.

He described the planned building as "remarkably ugly and out of scale" and said it would be an eyesore and out of sympathy with its surroundings.

He said: "We should not have that expanse of metal roof foisted on us. I think it is in the wrong place anyway but a grass roof would at least be preferable and more environmentally friendly.

"The proposed plan looks unimaginative and downright dreadful."

A spokesman for Oxford University said: "'The university has undertaken a comprehensive consultation process over the last 18 months prior to submitting the application.

"Comments that were made have been taken into account in the final proposals where possible."