PEOPLE power has forced the scrapping of a plan for a controversial sculpture at a Ribble Valley beauty spot.

Mid Pennine Arts, the agency leading the East Lancashire-wide Panopticons project, hoped to build neoSCOPE on top of a 500metre hill near Hurst Green.

But the plan for a large, sheltering wall of local stone with a viewing window, was shelved yesterday.

The move follows a public meeting, in Hurst Green last week, where 100 furious residents made their objections known to organisers.

Residents told the meeting, which included representatives from East Lancashire Partnership, East Lancashire's Arts Network and the artist Nayan Kulkarni, that neoSCOPE would be a blot on the landscape.

They also claimed the work, to be built on Kemple End, would attract too many people and cause traffic chaos and litter problems.

Nick Hunt, of the arts network, said yesterday: "We respect the strength of public feeling and local affection for this beauty spot, and we accept that this is not the right place for a Panopticon.

"We aim to work with local people, not against them. We will consider positive options elsewhere."

Campaigners awere delighted at the about-turn. Brenda Carpenter, who lives with husband Peter at Alden Cottage, Kemple End, said: "It's wonderful news and proof that public feeling can sometimes win.

I'm all for modern sculpture in the right place."

A group including Mid Pennie Arts, Ribble Valley Council, the artist, East Lancs Partnerships and the arts network will meet in April to search for a new location, using the same artist.

London-based artist Mr Kulkarni, who has exhibited across Britain and in Pakistan during a 12-year career, admitted he was surprised by the strength of feeling.

The work was part of a £1million scheme funded by the North West Development Agency and co-ordianted by Mid-Pennine Arts to create six works of public art across East Lancs to boost tourism.

Mr Kulkarni said: "The public meeting was the largest group of people gathered to discuss my art.

"The next time I'm in Lancashire I'd like to maybe go on a walk with some local people and they can show me the local beauty spots.

"I got the impression that they attach a lot of emotional significance to this site so I'd like to see other places that they like.

"I get the sense that their objections are not really about my art, they are about too many people visiting the site and the fact it's a site that they already love."