Mums and their children descended on Streatham Common on Friday for a protest picnic against plans to house a temporary ice rink there.

Some 200 parents and children, linked to the Hands Off Our Common campaign, visited the proposed site for the rink to register their opposition to Lambeth Council and Tesco's plan to construct the Olympic-sized rink on the metropolitan green land in 2011.

The common has been earmarked for a temporary rink while the Streatham Hub development - that will feature a state-of-the-art new rink and leisure centre as part of a residential and supermarket complex on the current rink site - is built.

Mum-of-three Jenny Jessop, said: "We want to raise awareness there are a lot of people, including families who use the ice rink, who don't want such a large building on the common."

Lambeth Council said it is looking for alternative sites for the temporary rink but has so far found nothing appropriate in Streatham.

Mrs Jessop said she supported a temporary rink, but putting it outside the borough should be considered.