Teen beauty spot drinkers are ramblers, not rebels
- Dave Burrows
Farmer says Wrekin mining protesters are camped illegally
Monday 19th July 2010, 8:19AM BST.
A farmer today hit back at campaigners protesting against plans to mine coal in the shadow of the Wrekin, saying they are camped illegally, creating a rubbish tip and a health hazard.
Protesters claimed last week a herd of cattle had flattened one of their tents near New Works, Telford, and said better measures were needed to keep the animals away. They urged anyone seeing the cows wandering about to contact police.
The campaigners want to stop UK Coal from mining 900,000 tonnes of coal at the Huntington Lane site.
But farmer Brian Rhodes, of New Works Farm, near Lawley, today said the cows, not the protestors, had the right to be on the land.
He said: “The cattle are occupying the land legally. Cattle have grazed the land, to my knowledge, for at least 50 years.
“The so-called protestors are camped illegally and are creating a rubbish tip and health hazard.
“With no running water and no toilets, I would be concerned about human welfare if I were them.”
He said that he would not keep his cattle in the conditions the protestors were living in.
Mr Rhodes said his cattle knew the area very well and if left alone would come to no harm.
He said: “They have all been hand-reared and are extremely placid and are not used to being shouted and screamed at, especially following a low-flying police helicopter looking for a runaway driver on the night in question.
“My cattle are looked after extremely well, as my vet will confirm.”
The campaigners said they had been visited by members of the public who were supporting their protest, with regular visitors joining the camp at weekends.
Mr Rhodes said: “These people seem to think that they have a God-given right to set up camp, steal and burn the trees illegally and expect law-abiding people who all their lives have strived to carry out a business and make a living to roll over
“If they think I am leaving 180 acres of grazing land, they are mistaken.
“They say it is to stop the coal site.
“The battle against the coal site was fought hard and lost.
“All they are doing with their protest is living free.”
It is believed that UK Coal will start to mine the site by the end of August.
By Hannah Costigan
Sponsored Links
Most Commented
- Leader: Hospital parking suggestion simply nonsense
- Leader: Crimewave goes up with the mercury
- MP Owen Paterson opposed to same-sex marriages
- Teen beauty spot drinkers are ramblers, not rebels
- Hospital 18-week waiting list down to 800
- Parking zones fear for Shropshire hospital workers
- Protesters: We await problems at Shropshire hospitals
Shropshire Star on Twitter
Keep updated with the latest breaking news and content on our Twitter feed.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Shropshire Star and Express & Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
LIVE traffic updates
Road, rail and airport - latest
Our new, live traffic and travel updates service - check before you set out.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new Shropshire Star app
Download the Shropshire Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
shropshirestar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
Strange, and they accuse the mining company of being the environmental vandals………….
Report abuse
well said Brian Rhodes, the place looks a mess
Report abuse
Been there to see the “stupid, dangerous tunnels” in order to assess the danger they pose to cows have you?
The whole area round there is pockmarked with craters and other earthworks from previous mining… anything the protesters are doing is unlikely to increase the danger to cows on the land.
Report abuse
Your right Ken i should’ve known better, its only dumb animals with very small brains that are allowed to have a total disreguard for private property and posess an inability understand trespassing laws
Report abuse
These cows have been on the coal site for years and have caused no harm. Mr.Rhodes happens to be my grandfather and the only “interests” he shares with UK coal is that the opencast site gets over and done with in order to get the land back for the cows. no other interest i’m afraid.
Report abuse
To say the protestors are creating “a rubbish tip and a health hazard” is very unfair. They are trying to PROTECT the land so that it may be enjoyed by future generations (of both people and cows!) and from what I’ve seen from walking through the site, the whole set up appears most sanitary and actually quite pleasant.
It seems possible to me that Mr. Rhodes has become something of a mouthpiece for his landlord, UK Coal.
Incidentally that is a very old photograph they’ve used – there’s barely leaves on the trees! I suspect it was taken whilst the camp was building earlier in the year – building sites don’t often appear tidy – do they?
Report abuse
I wouldn’t worry, Mr Rhodes. Pretty soon your cows will either stop giving milk as they are frightened by the earth moving machines, or they’ll fall into the strip mine working.
Report abuse