PEOPLE have stepped up their fight to block plans to set up a £500,000 meat processing factory near their homes.

West Auckland residents have sent 200 letters of objection to Wear Valley District Council after a second public meeting was held this week.

About 90 people packed the Memorial Hall on Wednesday to vent their anger at plans by HDV Foods for an animal carcass processing plant on the Aptec Industrial Estate.

Campaigner Tom Hutchinson said: "More than 200 people have signed letters of objection and we could probably get more, but we thought that would give the council an idea of the depth of feeling.''

The company, a new enterprise by the directors of two Chilton companies, Corrolla Products and SMS Meats, has applied for permission to create a vehicle turning circle and three loading bay doors behind the factory.

The scheme could be discussed at a council planning committee meeting next Thursday.

Residents say it is too close to homes and are worried about smells and traffic nuisance.

Mr Hutchinson said refrigerated lorries would be travelling to and from the site from 5am to 10pm. If the company was to expand it could switch to 24 hours, seven days a week.

Stephen Speed, who runs the companies with his wife, Suzanne and brother-in-law George Scott, has offered to build a grass embankment between the homes and the site.

It is expected 25 jobs will be created by the business, plus a further 25 if it expands in the way Mr Speed hopes.

But residents have vowed to fight on and Mr Hutchinson will be speaking on their behalf at the planning meeting.