Neighbours are preparing for a courtroom battle over the ownership of a piece of scrubland.

They say the land belongs to elderly widow Joyce Nelmes, who used to live in the detached bungalow next door of The Highway, Newhaven.

But a new claim of ownership has been launched by two men who have been using the land for the past 12 years.

Mrs Nelmes and her late husband George bought the bungalow in 1977. The sale included about an acre of land opposite.

The couple sold the house and moved to Steyning in 1984 but held on to the land, which had a fence around the perimeter and a double gate.

Mrs Nelmes, now 76, moved to Brighton 15 years ago after suffering a massive stroke but her husband continued to walk his dog on the land occasionally until his death in 2001.

Her wish was to build her own bungalow on the land but she never got round to applying for planning permission.

Now Jesse Roberts, of Western Road, Newhaven, and Ray Baker, of Downland Road, Peacehaven, have launched an ownership claim to the land under squatters' rights.

Although Mrs Nelmes holds the deeds to the plot, the Land Registry has said the men could have a legitimate claim and have confirmed the case will be heard in court early next year.

The situation has angered Mrs Nelmes' former neighbours living in The Highway.

Alan Fry, who bought the bungalow from the couple, said he had no idea the land was being used until September 2002, when a JCB was driven over the fence and workmen began clearing bushes and burning them.

The men claimed to have bought the land but Mrs Nelmes' family deny it has ever been sold.

Mr Fry said the men, who claimed they were from a landscaping company, returned occasionally over the next two years and continued to clear the area, erect new fences and dump waste materials.

When another JCB turned up last week, Mrs Nelmes' neighbours decided enough was enough.

They contacted Sue Gaudiere, Mrs Nelmes' niece, who holds power of attorney over her estate and gathered together on the disputed land ready to confront the men.

But only one showed up and he drove the digger away.

Mr Fry said: "We have all known Mrs Nelmes for years. This beautiful land, which is full of wildlife, is being destroyed seemingly just for the sake of it.

"Although we don't own the land ourselves, everyone living here is going to do all they can to make sure this cannot continue."

Mrs Gaudiere, of Brighton, said: "I can't believe we are having to fight for my auntie's land. I feel very sorry for her old neighbours because it is making their lives a misery but I'm glad they have kept an eye on what was going on.

"It has been very upsetting for my aunt because she has a lot of happy memories there."

An assistant to Beverly Ogden, the Brighton-based solicitor acting on behalf of Mr Roberts and Mr Baker, said she was too busy to comment.