PEOPLE in North Bradley and Southwick are gearing up to fight plans they say will erode their village identities.

Villagers have vowed to fight proposals by the Boundary Commission to change district electoral wards, joining them with areas of nearby Trowbridge. Under the changes, due to come into effect in May 2007, the two villages will form part of two new Trowbridge wards, instead they are fighting to be joined with each other.

Southwick Parish Council chairman Kath Noble said: "In a few years Southwick could be part of Trowbridge. Rural areas are rural areas and we have always been linked with North Bradley, the names of the two villages just go together."

The two parish councils have jointly decided to send letters to every household in the villages to ask for support in fighting the proposals.

Under the new proposals two new wards, Trowbridge and Southwick and Trowbridge and North Bradley, would join the existing five wards in the town.

The first new ward would put Southwick with the Whiterow Park area of Trowbridge, while North Bradley would join with the Bradley Road area. The parish councils have until May 22 to put forward their objections.