JOHN Prescott is digging in to help campaigners fighting plans to sell off their allotments for housing.

As our fun picture, left, depicts, the Deputy Prime Minister has pitched in to order a public inquiry into a Hampshire council's controversial bid to build homes on much-loved vegetable plots.

He has demanded the review to find out whether civic chiefs are within their rights to move gardeners off land they have cultivated for decades.

Allotment holders, who have staged a long-running protest to save their plots, last night welcomed the decision.

Council bosses are also looking forward to the inquiry, which could be held early next year, saying it would put an end to the arguments once and for all.

They want to build hundreds of homes on two allotment sites. But angry allotment holders have staged several protests over the proposals.

It is not yet known how long the inquiry will last or when a final decision might be made.