A COUPLE believe rebuilding George Ward School in Bowerhill will destroy their organic farm and a tree dating back to the English Civil War.

John Marston, 55, and his wife Liz, 56, have been tenants at Woolmore Farm since 1988, and fear the new school site will make it impossible for them to continue. They believe it will also threaten one of the county's oldest oak trees, which Oliver Cromwell is said to have used to hang seven soldiers after the Battle of Roundway Down.

Mr Marston said: "The farm is currently 136 acres and with the building of the school we would lose about 30 of them. "The county council say I would be able to downsize and continue, but that is just totally impractical as the land would be divided up."

In 1999 the Marstons turned Woolmore into the only organic dairy farm in Melksham and they have a pedigree herd of 70 milking cows, all born and bred on the farm. Since becoming organic, wildlife has increased and hares, deer, buzzards and skylarks can often be seen on the land.

Mr and Mrs Marston believe the building of the school will drive away many of the animals, in addition to making it unviable to keep the herd of cows. "If the new school comes to this site, Woolmore is finished as a dairy farm," said Mrs Marston.

"We are in favour of a new school for Melksham but feel development should not be based purely on economics. We strongly believe countryside is important too." Woolmore Farm, which is owned by Wiltshire County Council, is also home to the oak tree, which played a gruesome part in the aftermath of the 1643 battle, in which loyalist troops crushed their parliamentarian opponents.

Nowadays, the tree is home to a number of inhabitants including bats, little owls and sparrow hawks, making it a haven for a variety of wildlife, which Mr and Mrs Marston believe would be jeopardised by the new school.

Mr Marston said: "We intend to fight plans for the building of the school at every stage.

"My favoured option would be to rebuild the school on its current site. "I can't understand why they feel they have to move to Bowerhill, which will cause a whole host of other problems."

County councillors decided last month to channel a £20m government grant towards the rebuilding of George Ward School at Woolmore Farm. This option was chosen ahead of rebuilding either a school in Salisbury or the John of Gaunt School in Trowbridge, because it was felt this was the only project that could be completed within budget.

The county council hope to start work on the project by autumn 2007. Work could be finished within two years.