RESIDENTS crowded into a small school hall to hear one man's harrowing experiences of living in the shadow of a landfill site.

Mr Philp Owen was the guest speaker at Wednesday's meeting organised by campaign group, Ramsbottom Against Landfill (RALF).

He told an audience of 300 of the horrors of life near a landfill site in Merthyr Tydfil and urged residents to oppose the application to establish a site in Ramsbottom.

RALF claim that the Welsh site, which is similar in size to the one proposed for Ramsbottom, is plagued with problems and they are using it as a case study to form the basis of their objections.

Biffa Waste Services Ltd have applied to turn part of Fletcher Bank Quarry at Shuttleworth into a 15-year tip for domestic and industrial waste.

The Welsh tip was established in 1986 and was run at first by the council. Biffa Waste Services took over management of the site in 1993. It was then, according to Mr Owen, that the problems started.

He branded Biffa "a waste of space" claiming: "Our lives have been made hell by these people."

Mr Owen told the meeting at Peel Brow school: "We have had problems since 1994. Children have sores on their faces and there have been acidic smells in the area since. On one occasion the smells started coming from the drain and from the toilets into the houses."

He added: "Our children stand at bus stops with their handkerchief over their face."

Mr Owen urged: "You have an opportunity to stop this application now: we don't know what the future holds for us. Will we still be able to live there? Will our children be healthy? Don't let this happen to your village, support RALF."

RALF was formed two years ago when the application for a landfill site was first submitted. Their members include local Tory councillors Barry Theckston, Dorothy Gunther and Sheila Magnall who have promised their full support to the campaign.

The group fears that if the application is given the green light there will be enormous traffic and health problems in the area.

Sue Gregory, a leading RALF campaigner, said after the meeting: "We were delighted with the turnout. It seems that people have grasped the issues and got behind us."

A spokesman for Biffa said: "We have 38 landfill sites across the UK area and rarely receive complaints. Mr Owen is one of the very few people who regularly makes complaints about this facility. "We regret that he seems to find it necessary to exaggerate. The fact remains that the site functions extremely well, provides a vital local service, and is generally of no concern to the vast majority of its neighbours."

Bury's planning department, along with Lancashire County Council, are expected to consider the application in the near future.