A BID to power a cement kiln using fuel made from dead animals - possibly including those infected with mad cow disease - was today backed by the Government agency responsible for protecting public health.

An investigation by the Foods Standard Agency has concluded that there would be no risk of the contamination of the human food chain in the Ribble Valley if Castle Cement was to use Animal Waste Derived Fuel (AWDF) to run one its kilns.

They have concluded that the fuel process would make it 'unlikely' that BSE - also known as mad cow disease - could spread via emissions from the plant and into the food chain.

The company, which runs the Ribblesdale cement plant on the outskirts of Clitheroe, recently won planning permission from Lancashire County Council to make modifications to one of its kilns to take AWDF.

But it is still still waiting for permission from the Environment Agency to carry out a trial of the fuel, which would be used instead of coal. In a report submitted to the Environment Agency, Food Standards Agency expert Dr Giles Gaskell said: "AWDF may contain meat and bone meal, but it is unlikely emissions from the kiln would contain BSE.

"It is therefore unlikely that BSE could go on to contaminate the local human food chain.

"This is made even more unlikely by the fact the company providing the fuel does not treat BSE-infected animals."

If the Environment Agency grants permission for a trial, the Ribblesdale site will be the first in the country to use AWDF. In recent years, Castle Cement has tried various alternatives to traditional fossil fuel, including the controversial Cemfuel, made of solvents.

Earlier this month, it was granted permission by the Environment Agency to power one of its kilns using bits of used tyres, after trials proved it was no more harmful to the environment than current forms of fuel used.

Gareth Price, general manager at the Ribblesdale works, said: "We keenly await the decision on the use of AWDF from the Environment Agency."