ASTHMATIC children living close to the site of a planned asphalt plant could suffer worsening medical problems if the plans go ahead residents fear.

Thousands of homeowners living in the Brownedge Road area of Bamber Bridge, Preston are concerned about side effects they claim will come from additional traffic, noise and pollution.

Now they have formed an action group, Stop The Asphalt Plant Committee, and have called a public meeting to voice their concerns.

Mother-of-three Margaret Parkes of Brownedge Close said: "I am worried about not just my own children but the many asthmatic children in the area. The pollution is going to be horrendous"

Mrs Parkes said residents were also concerned about the increased traffic the plant would bring - to already congested roads.

She said: "There was a fatality up here less than two weeks ago. If it's this bad now what's it going to be like if the plant is built."

Chairman of the committee Eric Melling, of St Judes Avenue, said a nearby pedestrian walkway could become dangerous if dust blew from the plant: "If there's a fast East wind the dust will blow through creating a sort of sandblaster which would blast people walking through."

Robert Boyd, Tilcon's Finance Director, said: "There's no cause for any alarm. Only steam is discharged from the stack and steps will be taken to prevent any dust discharge.

"The fact there are people living near to the proposed site has been fully taken into account."

The residents' public meeting is on Tuesday (July 22) at St Mary's and St Benedicts School, Brownedge Lane at 8pm. A peaceful demonstration is planned at the proposed site (next door to Baxi) at 1.15pm on July 24, the same day County planners visit the site.

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