Campaigners against an adventure playground company taking over a café in Trent Park have handed a 2,400-strong petition to the council.

A petition set up by campaign group True Friends of Trent Park aims to keep couple Rosa and Dennis Marzocchi in charge of the café they have run for 30 years, as fears grow that Go Ape could win the right to run the building.

Mr and Mrs Marzocchi have been told by Enfield Council they must leave the premises when their lease runs out on Saturday.

Submitting their petition, the True Friends of Trent Park said: “We would like to point out that this is far more than just a café, it is the hub of a very large and diverse community of all ages from all walks of life.

“It is popular with the physically and mentally disabled because it’s one of few places in north London that openly welcomes them and groups often arrive by minibus to use the cafe, all year round. It helps with emergency services when they are required to visit the park.

“It also even functions as a rescue centre – reuniting lost children with their parents and even lost dogs with their owners.”

Go Ape, which runs the nearby tree-top adventure park that opened on Saturday, has bid to run the café and wants to provide a menu that blends the food currently served with a more expensive range of meals.

It would run under the name Forest Café, but it has not yet been formally revealed who has won the tender process.

Enfield Council confirmed it had received the petition and was considering it.