PLANS to open a 50-metre rifle range at the top of Hameldon Road, Hapton, have met with opposition from local residents.

People living in houses and farms close to the proposed site, at Barley Green, have begun sending letters of objection to Burnley Council's planning department and intend to lobby the parish council at its meeting next week.

The application has been made by Burnley Rifle Club, currently based at Trafalgar Mill, Burnley, and is on a disused Territorial Army range.

They have around 100 members and are looking for an outdoor range where they can fire black powder to train for competitions.

Member and former secretary of the club, Derek Waterworth, said there would be no danger to members of the public.

But Tony Barker, 50, who lives at Barley Top closest to where the range would be, believes it is a bad idea.

He said: "There are four houses and about 15 residents and we are all against it.

"One of the points I have raised in my letter to the council is the road. It is not in very good repair as we as residents at the top of the road actually maintain it at our expense.

"Apparently this shooting club has got more than 100 members. So with the residents and people that come up for walking as well as 100 more people coming up that road it is not going to be good.

"They are going to be parking outside my house because I'm the nearest to it.

" We searched a long time for this property and I wouldn't like to think I'd be hearing hundreds of rifles going of early on a Sunday morning.

"It's a former quarry and there's huge amount of rocks around the place. We've got horse riders, walkers, as well as peregrine falcon and deer in the forest."

Mr Waterworth said: "I can understand their concerns but with regards to the amount of people who will use it, there won't be more than a dozen at any time.

"Because it is on common land there is a restriction on use to 28 days a year so about once a fortnight and it is quite a way from any buildings with the range facing towards the hill.

"We can't use it until the Army have passed it as safe, we would have to have at least two people to say when to fire and another two lookouts to make sure there is no-one passing by.

"We will be firing in to a sand bank and behind that is an earth bank and the Army won't let you do anything if there is a chance of ricochet."

Mr Barker and his neighbours will attend the parish meeting on Tuesday at 7.30pm when the plans will be an item on the agenda.