Hundreds of people have bombarded council planners with their objections to controversial plans for an opencast mine on the edge of Telford.

More than 500 have been sent in opposing UK Coal’s proposals to mine 900,000 tonnes of coal and 125,000 tonnes of fireclay near Little Wenlock.

The objections will be taken into account on Thursday when borough councillors meet to determine whether to support or oppose the application at a public inquiry in April.

The objections will be taken into account on Thursday when borough councillors meet to determine whether to support or oppose the application at a public inquiry in April.

Councillors are being recommended to oppose the bid.

One of the main concerns raised by the public is the potential effect on wildlife and woodland.

People living nearby also fear their lives will be disrupted while the mining is carried out.

Other objections are to an increase in lorries, which it is claimed would be dangerous; the effect on roads and past people’s homes.

Others are concerned about the effect the development would have on businesses and tourism and that the area would be redeveloped as a landfill site.

There are also worries about the loss of part of Limekiln Wood County Wildlife Site, the adverse affect on the New Works Scheduled Ancient Monument, on sites of special scientific interest and Lime nature reserve.

UK coal says 340,000 tonnes of coal would be removed a year over a 32-month period.

It says mitigation measures have been included in its proposals, including site operations at Huntington Lane being designed to avoid many key habitats and new hedgerows, grasslands and a wetland habitat to be created.