A MAN alleged to have e-mailed comments about neighbours who wanted to build an activity centre near his home has agreed a £12,000 payout.

Elaine Marsden and Duncan Bell, of Moss Side Farm, Roman Road, Darwen, said their reputation had been vindicated following the payment of £1,000 damages and £11,000 costs, settled out of court.

And Peter Hodson, of Tower View, Cranberry Bottoms, said that he too was delighted with the settlement, which he described as a "token gesture" to "rid myself of a nuisance claim."

The libel claim was brought after comments made about Ms Marsden and Mr Bell in an e-mail sent to a number of councillors last year.

At the time, Mr Hodgson was involved in a campaign against the couple's initial plans for an activity centre on Cranberry Moor.

Barjinder Sahota, of London-based Sahota Solicitors, representing the couple, said: "My clients' reputations have been vindicated and they are very happy with the outcome."

But Mr Hodgson said of the settlement, in which damages of up to £50,000 had been sought: "I am absolutely delighted with the outcome of this case.

" I gave no apology.

I paid a token amount in damages in order to rid myself of what I considered to be a nuisance claim.

We must preserve the rights of the people of Blackburn and Darwen to have free use of the common land at Cranberry Moor for our children and grandchildren."

Since the e-mail was sent Ms Marsden and Mr Bell have withdrawn their original plans and submitted another planning application to use the land for a laser tag game and parking for 26 cars.

In a separate, unrelated development Ms Marsden has revealed they could be set to start fresh legal action after what they claimed was misleading information was sent out in an anonymous leaflet to residents about their latest plans.

She claimed the leaflet contained many incorrect statements about their new plans and said she and Mr Bell would take legal action if they were able to discover who was behind it.

She added: "We wanted to put it all behind us and get on with our lives but it has started up again."