Tennis players in North Oxford are being encouraged to turn up this weekend to show their support for public courts threatened by privatisation.

Residents who pay and play are concerned about city council plans to lease Alexandra Courts in Summertown to Wildwood Leisure, a private company.

Tennis enthusiasts are urging city councillors to rethink proposals to allow Wildwood Leisure to modernise facilities off Middle Way, where 14 grass and six hard courts, run by the city council, are making a loss.

There has been fierce opposition to the council's plan to grant a 25-year lease to Wildwood Leisure.

On Sunday, from 3pm to 5pm, tennis players are being urged to take part in a tennis session open to all.

Chris Goodall, the Green's prospective parliamentary candidate for Oxford West and Abingdon, said: "This isn't a sit-in, it's a play-in. We'll also be serving some tea and cake.

"Alexandra Courts is a green space in the middle of a densely populated area with few other open places for public recreation, particularly for teenagers. The new owners propose to cover some of the open area with indoor courts and install floodlights, even though the area is surrounded by housing."

Cathy Robertson, one the coordinators of the protest campaign, said: "It may be possible to stop the transfer."

Wildwood's long-term proposals include a building to house four indoor courts as part of a 14-court centre, but some residents fear this will lead to noise disturbance.

For the time being, the company has withdrawn its application to build the indoor tennis courts, but may resubmit the plan.

The lease agreement is expected to be discussed on Thursday, July 3 at the North area committee, although a decision may not be taken until September.

Andrew Parsons, a spokesman for Wildwood Leisure, said: "I have played regularly at Alexandra Courts. Anything that encourages people to play tennis has to be a good thing."