COMMUNITY group - Atherton Residents Association - met tonight to discuss the future of their town.

Residents gathered at the Atherton Arms joined in their disillusionment with the alleged actions of Wigan Council.

The association recently reformed after the announcement of the sale of Formby Hall.

Now residents are fighting to retain the community hall, which has been sold to Hilldale housing Association- to be made into a care home facility- and to take back their town from a council they believe is unsupportive.

Vice chairman of the association Anthony Waite said: "We need to stop this building disappearing.

"We want to know why it was sold below profit for £65,000 when a brownfield site like that could be sold for £225,000 to £250,000.

"We want to investigate the process of its sale because personally I don't think it was legitimate.

"We aren't getting our fair deal by Wigan.

"I feel sad at the sight of Formby Hall. It lacks care and maintenance.

"The people that we're put in charge of it they have not cared for it like they should have done.

"But I don't want to see that as a negative because when we get it back we will bring it back out of that state."

The association are currently challenging the decision to sell Formby Hall, under the Localism Act 2011, which would stop the building being demolished without full planning approval.