THE owners of Lancaster's controversial Nightingale Hall Farm are to be the subject of legal action from the city council.

The hugely controversial animal rendering plant, which was used to dispose of carcasses during the foot and mouth crisis, has been slammed by local residents for its actions in the week following the May Day Bank Holiday.

The council's cabinet agreed on Tuesday to issue a summons against Fats and Proteins (UK) Ltd. The action is being brought under Section 20 of the environmental protection act, over an alleged breach in the company's condition of authorisation, which specified that offensive smells must not be released outside the boundary of the site.

An initial hearing date has been set for December 21.

Cllr Gina Dowding, the Green group's representative on the cabinet, said: "We are very pleased that the legal advice the Council has received suggests that it is worthwhile taking legal action against Nightingale Hall Farm.

"Local people having been putting up with this for far too long, and we hope the action is successful."

Earlier this year the council announced that it was bringing in a rapid reaction team of specially trained 'sniffers' to investigate complaints made about the farm. Local residents were also urged to make their complaints as quickly as possible and a special phone number was set up.

It is the latest in a series of complaints which have dogged the plant for many years.

This summer, the Citizen exclusively revealed that a workers at the plant had been dismissed for breaching hygiene regulations while the plant was being operated by the Meat & Livestock Commission, while accusations were also made that workers on duty had been smoking cannabis.

Campaigners have demanded that the plant should either be closed down completely or move to a more appropriate site.