Brown handed anti-Titan petition

Protesters handed in their petition to Downing Street

Campaigners opposing the creation of a£400m Titan prison in Warrington have presented a 10,000-strong petition at Downing Street.

The government identified Omega Business Park in Burtonwood as a possible location for the prison last year. It would house 2,500 inmates.

It is one of three "American style" prisons intended to be built by 2014.

Warrington Residents Against Prison Prosposal (WRAPP) have compiled the petition in protest against it.

There are plans for the site, which located next to the M62 on a former World War II air base, to be developed into the region's largest business park over the next 25 years.

Planning guidelines

Jim Gardener, spokesman for WRAPP, said: "The main opposition to the the prison scheme is that the Omega site has been earmarked for blue chip industry and 25,000 high tech jobs.

"It is going to steer a lot of businesses away from the site."

But the Ministry of Justice said Omega was just one of a number of sites in the North West of England "under consideration".

A spokesman said normal planning routes would be followed once a specific site is identified.

"Officials will hold pre-application consultations with planning officers, local councillors and other interested parties on the detail of any proposed prison developments in the usual way," he added.

"This will include a public exhibition to explain the proposals and give local people the opportunity to comment."