Telford & Wrekin’s two MPs put aside their political differences today to speak out against plans for opencast mining close to Shropshire’s most visited beauty spot.

Conservative Mark Pritchard and Labour’s David Wright claimed a mine would wreck lives, scar the landscape, harm wildlife and deter tourists.

“Eighty thousand people climb The Wrekin each year to see the green stuff, not the black stuff,” said Mr Pritchard.

The MPs were speaking at the public inquiry into UK Coal’s bid to extract 900,000 tonnes of coal from Huntington Lane, between New Works and Little Wenlock.

Mr Pritchard, whose constituency covers the site, said he would be presenting a petition to Parliament with hundreds of names of people opposing the mine.

Dust, with its health risks, was a big issue for residents, including the highly populated areas of Arleston and Wellington, he said.

Mr Pritchard added: “Mining coal would play Russian roulette with the lives of my constituents.

Mr Wright said the overwhelming majority of local people were against the plan, claiming he could count mining supporters “on the finger of one hand”.

He added: “We are a modern town, an emerging city . . . and this application is past its sell-by date.”

The inquiry continues.