NEIGHBOURS turned out in force for a meeting to discuss the controversial planning proposals for a McDonalds drive-thru restaurant at Windle Island.

Nearly 200 residents and members of Windle Parish Council turned up at the meeting held on Monday night at Liverpool St Helens Rugby Club, Moss Lane, for the discussion with the Windle Residents' Association, representatives of the Highways Agency and the MP for St Helens North, Dave Watts.

Fred Bishop, chairman of the Windle Residents' Association, said: "We were delighted with the turn out on Monday night and are grateful to the representatives of the Highways Agency who turned up and listened to the points we had to make. The Highways Agency is currently compiling a report on the traffic impact and we await their findings."

After the meeting, MP Dave Watts, said: "I think that Windle Island is totally unacceptable for a McDonalds restaurant on the grounds that it is already one of the busiest junctions in St Helens.

"Any development of that size and type would add to the existing problems and could cause more accidents.

"And I have written to the local authority supporting the residents and expressing their concerns about this proposed development."