ANGRY local residents will still be able to complain about the burning of Cemfuel at Clitheroe's Castle Cement works despite the firm's surprise decision to scrap an appeal against tight environmental controls.

They will get the opportunity to give evidence to MPs when they visit Clitheroe on November 6.

And Pendle MP Gordon Prentice is urging worried householders to take up the chance. Castle Cement originally intended to appeal against conditions imposed by the Environment Agency on the burning of the liquid waste fuel.

They wanted to complain that they would be unable to meet the deadline to stop plume grounding, a relaxation on the limit on sulphur emissions and on the condition that electrostatic precipatators should be operational at all times.

They also wanted more flexibility on the composition of Cemfuel.

But the company decided to drop the protest, robbing local people of the chance to give evidence to a public inquiry scheduled for November 12.

Mr Prentice said: "People will still have the opportunity to ventilate their concerns when the Environment Committee visits the town next month.

"We need complete openness and transparency. Nothing else will do."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.