Inquiry told of mine health risks

The people of Telford are overwhelmingly opposed to an opencast coal mine, with residents united in their fear mining would harm their health and wreck their lives, it was claimed today.

Campaigner Pat Judson said he was speaking for the whole community when he declared: "This is a mine too far."

Mr Judson, leader of Friends of the Ercall, today outlined the "people power" opposition to a mine in the fourth week of a public inquiry.

An independent inspector has until now been hearing expert witnesses in support of UK Coal's bid to extract 900,000 tonnes of coal from Huntington Lane, between New Works and Little Wenlock.

Mr Judson, 50, who took early retirement from his job as a Government contractor, said he was no technical or legal expert, but he firmly believed he was speaking for the vast majority of ordinary people, who lived in the shadow of The Wrekin and Ercall beauty spots, close to Huntington Lane.

He said: "There are no more than a handful of letters in support of UK Coal's proposal.

"There are more than 1,500 against the mine, including petitions, local councillors and both MPs."

Mr Judson said that he had been brought up in the area and previous generations of his family had been involved in small-scale coal mining.

"I am not against coal mining, but I am against opencast mining," he added.

Mr Judson said people were terrified at the potential health risk caused by dust whipped up by winds blowing round The Wrekin and being carried into their homes.