UNITED Utilities claims that 70 per cent of Rossendale residents surveyed about controversial plans for a wind farm near Edenfield support it.

But campaigners fighting the joint proposals for the £50million scheme on Scout Moor say the results of the phone poll to do not accurately reflect the number of people who object.

MORI North conducted 489 random telephone interviews of people in the areas affected by the plans and results show that in Rossendale 70 per cent were in favour.

In Rochdale and Bury, the results were 72 per cent and 76 per cent, respectively, giving an overall total of 72 per cent in favour, with eight per cent against 13 per cent undecided.

Paul Hunt, project manager for Scout Moor Wind Farm, said: "We've always known there is considerable support for the wind farm in the area but unfortunately their voices aren't always heard above the small but vocal minority who oppose the project.

"The poll is consistent with opinion polls throughout the UK, which show public support for wind farms. Modern wind farms are actually very quiet and have relatively little visual impact compared to coal or nuclear power stations.

"And of course, they provide clean, green electricity without producing harmful emissions or leaving a legacy of pollution."

He added: "The recent extreme weather across Europe shows that climate change is already happening. We need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, which contribute to global warming, and Scout Moor and other wind farms will play a key part in that."

But Tony Graham, from Edenfield, who is campaigning against the proposals said he was suspicious of the figures produced by the poll.

He said: "It does not take into account the volumes of letters objecting to the plans that have been sent into Rossendale, Rochdale and Bury councils by those most directly affected by the plans.

"These are people who feel so strongly about it that they have taken the trouble to sit down and write a letter. They should be going to these people and asking why they do not want this to go ahead."

The Scout Moor plan, which is a joint venture between United Utilities and Peel Holdings, is for 26 modern turbines supplying power to more than 51,000 homes and would save the release of more than 4.75million tonnes of carbon dioxide -- the main greenhouse gas contributing to global warming -- over its 25-year working life.

Proposals have yet to go before Rossendale Council, although the closing date for objections has now passed. The campaigners are hoping to make their case to the committee when the scheme is debated.