Villagers fight gas plant plans

Campaigners protested outside the council's offices

More than 6,000 villagers have signed a petition against plans for a methane plant at the bottom of their gardens.

Energy company Alkane wants to pipe gas from a former colliery site in Ackworth, near Pontefract, and convert it into fuel.

The company, which already runs a plant in Castleford, said it has a eight year record of operating in the UK with no health or safety issues.

However residents said the plant will pollute the landscape.

The proposal will be discussed by a planning committee at Wakefield Metropolitian District Council over the next few weeks.

'Noxious fumes'

On Wednesday, campaigners gathered outside the authority's offices to highlight the issue to passing councillors attending a full council meeting.

Villager Neil Poundall said: "The energy generated will be a meagre amount of electricity for the total amount of upheaval it will cause in this area by changing the visual landscape and pumping pollution into the air.

"There are lots of children who live in this area. These kids will be bathing in all sorts of noxious fumes for the next generation."

The council said it was unable to discuss the matter prior to the planning meeting.