A BID has been launched to halt the planned drilling for a controversial type of gas below Pendle Hill.

The Co-operative has raised concerns over the safety of the extraction of ‘shale gas’, which a firm wants to drill for in Lancashire.

Cuadrilla Resources has already begun exploratory work in the so-called Bowland shale, which runs from Pendle Hill to Blackpool.

It plans to start drilling properly near Blackpool later this month.

But a study for the Co-operative and a new documentary have suggested it may be a danger to public health.

The report, written by the Tyndall Centre, said evidence from the US suggested that the chemicals used in extracting shale gas for energy were toxic and could cause cancer.

A documentary, Gasland, has also suggested that some American res-idents had their groundwater cont-aminated by the chemicals.

Although shale gas does not emit much more carbon than natural gas, more use could add to greenhouse gases already released, the report said.

Paul Monaghan, head of social goals at the Co-operative, added there was no evidence the use of shale gas in the US was driving people away from using dirtier coal for energy.

Tim Yeo, who chairs the House of Commons’ energy and climate change committee, said drilling for shale gas raised ‘some new environmental and related questions’.

But a Department of Energy and Climate Change spokesman said alll onshore oil and gas projects are subject to a series of checks.

Cuadrilla Resources said: it had given a “categorical” assurance it was doing everything possible to manage the risk of a health, safety and environmental incident occurring at its operations.