PROTESTING farmers have won their battle to stop the use of a Pilsworth landfill site as a burial ground for animals slaughtered during the foot and mouth crisis.

The former quarry, off Pilsworth Road, Bury, has now been removed from a list of 31 suitable sites nationwide, drawn up by the Ministry Of Fisheries and Food, the Department of the Environment, Transport and Regions, and the Environment Agency.

Last week the tip, which is run by Viridor Waste Management, was placed on stand-by to take carcasses from the pre-emptive foot and mouth cull designed to limit the spread of the disease.

The site, one of seven Viridor sites on the list, could have received deliveries of dead sheep and pigs at just a few hours notice.

Chosen for its "high operational standards", Pilsworth would have disposed of two types of material: 100 per cent clean livestock from abbatoirs or carcasses slaughtered as part of the pre-emptive or "firebreak" cull from areas surrounding infected land.

But local farmers said that it was madness to bring potentially infected dead animals into a disease-free area.

They enrolled the help of the National Farmers Union (NFU) and Heywood MP Jim Dobbin to fight the decision.

Mr Dobbin appealed to Environment Minister Michael Meacher to intervene and have Pilsworth removed from the list as a number of dairy farms were situated near to the landfill site.

A spokesman from the Environment Agency said: "At the end of the day we had concerns which we raised with MAFF, and had the site removed from the list.

"As a matter of routine we had a technical assessment carried out and there were some things we were not happy with."

He said the decision was made regardless of any public pressure.

Andrew Rothwell from the NFU said: "This is excellent news. On behalf of all local farmers we are extremely relieved that common sense has prevailed.

"The DETR and Environment Agency have seen the logic of our argument. It is in no short measure down to the efforts of Jim Dobbin. His work on our behalf is greatly appreciated."

Farmer Jim Booker, who has 400 dairy cattle at Captain's Farm, which is situated just across the road from the landfill site, said: "It's great news, we are all very pleased about it.

"We do not want to obstruct the process, but it would be absolute madness to bring potentially infected carcasses into a totally clean area."