Former Saints star Adam Lallana has emerged victorious in a planning row over a football pitch he illegally built in his garden - but has scored an own goal with neighbours in the process.

The England midfielder can keep the £40,000 games area in the grounds of his luxury home near Ringwood, despite it being much taller than is legally allowed.

The 26-year-old built the astro-turf pitch that doubles as a basketball court to have 'knock abouts' with his young family but he did so without getting permission from council planners.

Outraged neighbours described the development as a 'monstrosity' and complained, prompting planning officials to investigate.

They discovered the height of the games area was beyond permitted development rules and it required planning consent.

Mr Lallana applied for retrospective permission but neighbours claimed he took three months to respond.

Daily Echo: Brian Riley at his home next door to Adam Lallana

Despite the breach of regulations, and fierce opposition from neighbours, planners have given Mr Lallana consent to keep the pitch.

Brian Riley, 77, who has lived next door to Mr Lallana's £1.5m, five bedroom house with wife Constance for more than 20 years, described the process as a 'stitch up'.

Mr Riley said: "It's a total stitch-up - the development is closer to my house than it is to his.

"The neighbours don't want it, the parish council was opposed to it and Sport England even said it shouldn't be happening.

"But regardless of that the planning panel went against their own rules and allowed this monstrosity to stay.

"It makes my blood boil. If he had put planning permission in before building it like normal people have to he would never have got the go-ahead.

"By law Lallana had 28 days in which to submit a retrospective planning application but didn't do this until three months down the line and it was still allowed to go ahead.

"It stinks of favouritism towards someone in the public eye with plenty of money.

"He gets the star treatment while we have to suffer."

To block the pitch from view, Mr Lallana has planted a row of 12ft tall thuja trees, sparking further concerns that they will grow higher and block sun from Mr Riley's garden.

Mr Lallana moved into the house two years ago while he was playing for Southampton FC.

Despite being signed by Liverpool for £25 million in July, Mr Lallana has kept the home in Ringwood and often returns when he is not playing.

Giles Moir, development management manager at East Dorset District Council, insisted the case had been dealt with fairly.

He said: "This case has been treated as any planning enforcement case would be.

"We are able to set timeframes for people to submit retrospective planning applications in an attempt to resolve matters.

"In setting these timeframes we would try to be reasonable and agreed timeframes would always be open to negotiation and extension depending on circumstances.

"There is no legislative requirement for a retrospective application to be submitted within 28 days."