CAMPAIGNERS are planning a protest march against plans for a massive mine at Thieveley Pike on the moors between Burnley and Todmorden.

The Easter Saturday event is being organised by the No Moor Mines group, which is protesting at plans for a massive mile-long clay and coal mine.

The march replaces a planned protest walk from Todmorden to County Hall at Preston which has been called off because of the foot and mouth restrictions.

Walkers on Saturday will start the 14-mile trek from the Ram Inn, Cliviger, at 9.30am, into Todmorden and then over the hill into Bacup.

The Mayor of Burnley Coun Rafique Malik was invited to set the march under way but cannot be there as he is "double booked" but the Mayor of Rossendale, Coun David Hancock, will greet the marchers when they arrive in Bacup.

One of the organisers, Penny Eastwood, emphasised that the route would be entirely on the roads and walkers would be asked to disinfect their footwear as a foot and mouth precaution.

Campaigners have handed in petitions at County Hall, and at the Environment Agency offices in Bamber Bridge.

Three hundred signatures were obtained at a No Moor Mines rally launched in Todmorden.

The Mayor of Todmorden, Coun Joe Rez, said: "We fully support the No Moor Mines campaign. Although the land is in Lancashire the access to the site is in Yorkshire.

"They are talking about 30-ton wagons going to and from the site every 30 minutes. It is a great concern."

Penny, of local group Treesponsibility, said the moorland at Thieveley Pike was threatened by the planning application.

No date has yet been fixed for a decision. A Lancashire County Council spokesman said: "We are still having discussions about traffic movements."

People in the Todmorden area feared the workings would contaminate the headwaters of the Rivers Calder and Irwell, worsen problems of landslips and flooding, inflict heavy lorry traffic on communities and lead to over 300,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, contributing to climate change.

She added: "We are not just opposing the mine but we are being positive by sending out the message that we should be looking at the ecological restoration of the whole area."

Friends of the Earth are supporting the campaign. They say the mine would have significant adverse impacts on a fragile environment.

A spokesman for the applicants, Wakefield-based Cobex Ltd, said the proposed development would be environmentally friendly with little noise and dust and that new jobs would be created if it got the go-ahead.