A POLICE ban on commercial flights from a Hampshire airfield has been postponed for a further five-months after the battling sides agreed to try and find a way to work together.

According to bosses at Fareham Borough Council, the decision means the aviation businesses at the HMS Daedalus site at Lee-on-Solent whose livelihoods were threatened can continue to operate until at least April next year.

Last night, however, Hampshire Constabulary denied they had performed a U-turn and instead insited no deal had been reached and discussions were still on-going.

However the force also refused to talk about what the discussions centred around, saying it was a confidential matter for their lawyers.

Police want to ban all flights from the airfield aside from their spotter plane, Navu glider flights and the coastguard's helicopter, because they say the site is not safe as it has no air traffic control and no dedicated fire fighting service.

The force also said the issue is about the volume of air traffic using the airfield, and that currently it is their control room who are monitoring all the flights.

However Fareham Borough Council Leader, Cllr Sean Woodward, said he believed the force had now agreed to postpone the ban while talks continue between them, the Lee Flying Association, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and the South East England Development Agency.

Cllr Woodward, said: "I'm very pleased and at least this gives us some space to work out how flying can continue from the airfield in the long term."

Another meeting is now due to be held early next week to try and find a long-term solution.