CAMPAIGNERS armed with placards will be staging a protest march today to stop a waste plant being built near their homes.

Objectors to the plant, in Stainton Grove, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, planned to camp out on the development site last night to thwart builders starting work today.

Protestors will patrol the woods near their housing estate from 7am and stand in the way of workers.

Action group co-ordinator Ruth Renton said: "What we intend to do is patrol. We will keep moving the patrol to stop them.

"Some children and some people will be camping in the woods overnight."

Permission for the controversial recycling and waste transfer plant was given to Premier Waste Management by Durham County Council in March, despite a nine-month campaign by residents to have the application rejected.

They say the plant will pose a health risk, make it impossible to sell their homes, destroy wildlife and bring heavy, dangerous traffic on to their estate.

"All the waste from Teesdale will be brought to this centre and they want to put it feet away from where our children play and where people walk their dogs," said Mrs Renton.

"We are not inciting a riot but we will not take this lying down. There are pensioners and children, people of all ages, who will be there first thing to stop this from happening."

Premier Waste Management told the county council in March that vehicle movement and vermin numbers would be closely monitored. The company could not be contacted for comment last night.