Protesters who set up camp in the shadow of The Wrekin more than six months ago to fight plans to mine 900,000 tonnes of coal today said they were “here to stay” despite opposition.

The vow by campaigners, who have been living in a ramshackle camp at Huntington Lane, Little Wenlock, since April, comes after residents living nearby called for them to pack up their tents and go home.

Peter Whittle, from the Huntington Lane Surface Mine Community Liaison Group, which acts as a go-between for residents, the parish council and UK Coal, said yesterday the protesters should leave.

The group says it would be better if the protesters left to allow UK Coal to carry out its work and then restore the site as a beauty spot.

But one protester, who only wanted to be known as Harry, said they were here to stay. He said: “People who don’t like the coal company are not going to be on this group.

“All I can say from my point of view is the local people that we run into are as supportive as they have ever been.­

“Lots of them go to some trouble to help us out and they are continuing to do so.

“They will do things like research for us, talk to the parish council meetings and simple things like helping us to get water on to the site.

“One woman came to give us information about local heritage sites and gave us some cakes.”

He added: “When we have people coming down to talk to us in person we will take their views on board.”

Since the camp was set up it has expanded from a few tents to a campsite of tree houses and a network of underground tunnels.

Mr Whittle said the protesters were an “irritation” for the group and claimed they were a “serious nuisance” for the people living in the New Works area.

He said the protesters might have had a cause before but now there was “nothing noble” about what they were doing.

UK Coal said it supported the liaison group in its desire for the protesters to leave.