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Protesters come out of the cold over coal
Around 200 campaigners braved the biting cold to take part in a three-mile protest walk against plans for an open cast coal mine.
Protesters mounted the march against mining firm HJ Banks which wants to mine land close to Fairburn Ings, a nature reserve run by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) between Leeds and Castleford which attracts 100,000 visitors a year.
Ray Wilson, from RAGE – Residents Against Greenbelt Exploitation – accused the firm of "smashing up our countryside and turning our roads into speed tracks".
He told the YEP: "It's adjacent to Fairburn Ings which is of special scientific interest and is a nature reserve.
"We are worried about noise, dust, blasting every afternoon, 40-tonne lorries. It's going on for five years and they are taking up footpaths and widening Back Newton Lane for their lorries. This road has had a lorry ban for 25 years."
Organisers said they were delighted with the turn out.
Chris Mackins from Yorkshire Against New Coal (Yanc) said: "People are here showing their opposition to the open cast. We are walking the proposed perimeter of the site which is about three miles."
Coun Richard Brett, deputy leader of Leeds City Council, said: "I am unhappy on environmental grounds but mainly because I don't think we should be starting to burn coal. We need alternatives."
The proposed mining site is within Leeds City Council's boundaries and is designated Green Belt. Campaigners argue that the quarry will affect the natural water supply to the Ings.
The proposed opencast site contains about 1.2 million tonnes of coal.
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North west
