HUNDREDS of protesters marched through an east Cleveland village to show their support to residents fighting for the closure of a halal abattoir in the heart of their community.

Members of the North East Infidels organised the protest in Boosbeck on Saturday afternoon to highlight the plight of villagers' who maintain their lives are blighted by the smells and noises emanating from the Banaras Halal Meats site.

Dozens of residents lined the streets to welcome the marchers while one of the protest organisers, Lee Dyson rallied the crowd when they arrived at the Wharton Arms in the village, next door to the abattoir.

Using a loudspeaker to get across the group's message, he called on the business owner to close down and get out of the village.

"The people of Boosbeck don't want you here," he said. "Halal meat has no place in this community and it is time for you to leave."

Among the residents listening to the rally was one woman, who lived opposite the site, she said: "The smell that comes from the site is horrendous, we can't have our windows open on a sunny day because it is just too bad."

And a Brookside resident, who didn't want to be named, added: "We shouldn't have to live like this. I don't have a problem with the abattoir as long as it is out of town on an industrial site, not in the middle of Boosbeck."

Scores of police were on hand to ensure the protest passed off peacefully and there was no disorder to report.

However, Tom Blenkinsop, the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP, who represents the village, was dismissive of their actions.

He said: “They need to realise that they have no place in our community. Their reputation for racism, intolerance and public disorder runs contrary to what the vast majority of decent Boosbeck residents believe. The support they generate never appears to be local, and is more often than not bussed in from miles away.

“It has wasted taxpayers’ money and piled pressure on Cleveland Police who are already struggling due to major budget cuts.

“Hopefully, after their latest failed attempt to garner support in the area, they will listen to the message of East Cleveland residents and never come back to the area.”