Militant children saw red when they heard that their favourite play area was under threat.

They had been used to playing on wasteland near their homes in Harefields, North Oxford.

And when they saw an earthmover and other equipment move on to the site, they reacted in true Arthur Scargill style.

They hurriedly prepared placards and marched to the site to protest, just as the coal miners under Scargill had done a few years earlier.

Their placards, with some doubtful spellings, proclaimed: “Children's Lib”, “Save our blackberry patch” and “Leave it ulone”.

The protest, which took place in 1975, was the idea of Lisa Gotch, nine, and her five-year-old sister Emma, of 81 Harefields.

Their mother, Frances, said: “I knew nothing about what they were doing until they came down the stairs from their bedroom carrying these placards.

“I creased up with laughter when I saw them — especially as some of the spelling was rather odd. I never realised I had such bolshie children.”

Emma and Lisa were accompanied on their protest march by some friends, who were staying with them, before a large number of other friends joined them.

In the picture above, they are seen halting the progress of the earthmover.

The children, of course, had no chance of success.

Planning permission had been given to develop the land, workmen were on site and, in any case, there was a proper play area nearby.

But Lisa said: “We just wanted to show people that we are upset that we can't use it as a play place any more. It is such a pity it is going as there was a bird's nest there and a blackberry patch.”