Villagers' wind turbine protest

Villagers say the turbines are noisy

West End impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh was among campaigners who flew a blimp in protest at the erection of wind turbines in a Dorset village.

Save Our Silton campaigners are against plans which would see six 394ft (120m) turbines in Silton.

Protesters say they fear the noise and "living in the shadow" of the turbines proposed by the firm Ecotricity.

But the firm says each turbine "would generate electricity to power 35% of North Dorset homes".

This is a very historic area and this [the wind park] is going to be something that will dominate the entire landscape Sir Cameron Mackintosh

Up to 200 Save Our Silton campaigners met at Whistley Farm, Milton on Stour in Gillingham and marched up to the blimp, flying at Turbine height near to the proposed site.

The protest group claims 513 protest letters have already been sent to the district council.

Save Our Silton chairman, Chris Langham, said: "It's an entirely inappropriate location.

"We have got beautiful landscapes here [and] these turbines will be nearly 400ft high and seen for many, many miles.

"We are not against renewable energy but we are against inappropriate technologies.

"They should go off-shore - [that] is the answer."

Sir Cameron Mackintosh told BBC News: "This is a very historic area and this is going to be something that will dominate the entire landscape."

Ecotricity managing director, Dale Vince, said: "We urgently need to change the way we make our energy in the UK.

"Wind energy is a local resource, it grows here in the UK and we can just make our own energy from it and solve both problems.

"To most people they are graceful, rather beautiful structures that are doing a very important job for us all."

Next Friday is the official closing date for objections to be made to North Dorset Council.