The popular youth club at Toothill Farm isn't "going anywhere, for a long time.”

That’s the promise made to volunteers and young members of the club who went to the council chambers at Euclid Street for the full meeting of Swindon Borough Council on Thursday.

They were there to see the formal handover of a petition signed by hundreds of people to the council asking for a proper lease to stay at the council -owned farmhouse- and for the building to be declared a site of community vale.

Presenting the petition, the club’s Treasurer Mavis Read said: “Toothill is basically a large traffic island surrounded by major roads. Child safety is of paramount importance.

“We offer a safe place for children to come and meet their friends, and play and engage in constructive activities.

“We take children of all ages and it's a multi-cultural club.”

Mrs Read said that when the club’s long-term lease ran out in March earlier this year, it was given a ‘tenancy at will’ allowing it to use the site but with no security of tenure.

Mrs Read had written to the council requesting a new lease and had received no response so organised the petition which, along with two dozen of the young members, she handed in to Mayor Junab Ali last week.

She told the councillors: " We are seeking a new lease to be able to expand our services. We want to open for longer and do more in the school holidays."

The cabinet member for corporate and customer services, Coun Keith Williams praised the work of the club and said that it need not fear being evicted.

He said: "I can tell you, the club is not going anywhere for a long time. I think for the best use of the site and the benefit of residents it may be that the junior youth club is not the only user of the building - but I want to say we will do everything we can to ensure the club will be at the farm for a long, long time."

After the meeting Mrs Read said the club's volunteers and members were very relieved to be told it would be able to stay in the farmhouse - but added: "I won't quite believe it until we are signing on the dotted line."