Rutland County Council is being urged to back a northern by-pass for Stamford, which backers say will benefit the St George's Barracks and other Rutland housing proposals.

The call has come from Tallington Parish Council which hopes linking a by-pass for its own village with a much bigger scheme might bring its own long-awaited by-pass to fruition.

Tallington residents have campaigned for decades for a by-pass to relieve the village of traffic, which is often long delayed by the level cross with the East Coast Main Line.

Last month, as part of its long-running campaign for a Tallington by-pass, its parish council recommended approval be given to a by-pass to the north of Stamford, saying such a scheme would offer so many benefits, especially considering housing and other developments planned for the area.

By-pass campaigner Ken Otter admitted to Nub News of the plans he has drawn: "It's absolutely pie in the sky, pigs might fly but something needs doing."

He said: "It has lots of good elements in it. It's an opportunity for Lincolnshire County Council and Rutland County Council to say 'somebody has a good idea'. The thing is, it encapsulates everything."

Mr Otter says as well as providing relief to Tallington,the road would also link up proposed developments at Stamford North and Quarry Farm, along with proposals for Great Casterton and St George's Barracks in Rutland.

In May this year, Tallington Parish Council agreed its own proposals for a Tallington by-pass and the council thought it would consider how to link it with the A1.

Though an East-West link road is planned as part of the Stamford North housing proposals, it lacks a direct access to the A1, something which is also complicated by the layout of the existing A606 junction.

Instead, the northern by-pass would join the A1 north of Great Casterton and then continue westwards towards the A606.

The parish council has contacted both Lincolnshire County Council and Rutland County Council about its suggestion, along with MPs Alicia Kearns, Gareth Davies, and Sir John Hayes.

Each Parish council along the route has also been contacted.

Mr Otter stressed the by-pass was not his proposal, he just produced the drawings, but the view of the parish council.

Either way, as the parish council awaited responses, he hoped some good would come out of it.

Details of the Parish Council's recommendations can be found here.