HAMPSHIRE gardening goddess Charlie Dimmock will not be joining the battle to stop homes being built on Eastleigh allotments.

The TV star had been invited to take part in a peaceful picnic protest on Sunday, May 4, but on that day Charlie will be in the United States filming for the latest episode in the Ground Force series.

Lakeside Area Residents' Association is organising the picnic to raise public awareness of the campaign to prevent allotments being used as the site for hundreds of homes in a massive town centre redevelopment.

Organisers had been hoping that Charlie would be able to make a guest appearance at the picnic.

But a spokesman for the star said that the event coincided with Charlie's Ground Force filming work on the other side of the Atlantic.

Although they were disappointed that Charlie would not be able to attend, campaigners are still hoping that the picnic tables will be full for the grass-roots protest.