A senior councillor sparked outrage after saying obesity in Canterbury’s most deprived area could be cut if fat people ran around a field.

Rosemary Doyle’s remarks were branded “shocking” and “contemptible” by opponents who called for her to apologise.

They were made as the Conservative, who is the council’s member for open spaces, defended the council’s decision to sell off a fifth of Kingsmead Field for about £1.7 million.

Labour Cllr Alan Baldock had told last Thursday’s meeting of the council’s ruling executive that one of the reasons why the field should be protected from development is high levels of obesity in his impoverished Northgate ward.

Cllr Doyle, who insists the field is rarely used, said: “Cllr Baldock talked about obesity problems in Northgate.

"This may well be the case and if they ran around the field we may well have seen them and they would be a lot healthier.”

Her comment sparked an indignant backlash.

Lib Dem group leader Alex Perkins told a meeting of Canterbury councillors on Monday: “This is contemptible and I find it hard to understand how the council can be happy with this. I was utterly shocked by it.”

Northgate Ward run from Broad Street along the Sturry Road, taking in areas around Union Street, Brymore Estate, Vauxhall Avenue, Old Park Avenue and the Poets Estate.

Last year it emerged 44% of the area’s children are living below the poverty line – well above the 17% district average.

“I wouldn’t go around saying there are obese people in my ward. That field is not being used. If there are obese people, they should go and use the field” - Rosemary Doyle

Stuart Jeffery, the Green Party’s general election candidate for Canterbury, believes Cllr Doyle should apologise.

He said: “I was particularly shocked at Cllr Doyle, who claimed the space was underused and that there would be less of an obesity problem in Northgate if more people used the field for exercise.

“This shows a clear lack of understanding of the drivers of obesity, which are social and economic in the main and are therefore mostly influenced by local and national government.”

But speaking after the meeting, Cllr Doyle defended her comment, saying: “It was Cllr Baldock that raised the issue of obesity. I didn’t raise it.

“I’m not aware of obesity in his ward and I wouldn’t go around saying there are obese people in my ward.

“That field is not being used. If there are obese people, they should go and use the field.”

The ruling Conservative executive had wanted to sell all of the five-acre site to a developer, but was forced into a rethink after residents mounted an energetic campaign to save it.

Earlier this year the council announced it would sell just a fifth and leave the remainder as open space.

But after Thursday’s meeting, Cllr Baldock told the Gazette that senior Tories are still reeling from their backtrack.

He said: “People wanted to hear a commitment from the executive that they would work with them from now on.

“However, there was no commitment nor encouragement – just threats and sniping.”

Sian Pettman, of Market Way, spearheaded the campaign to protect the field and wants Cllr Doyle to support residents’ efforts.

She said: “If Cllr Doyle would like to see more people using Kingsmead Field, we would encourage her to work together with us to reopen access to the field from the Broad Oak Road and Kingsbrook Park and to enhance the field in such a way that it provides recreational facilities such as a running track or a green gym.”