A GROUP of Longton residents fighting plans for a compost plant in their village held a second public meeting to discuss their fears.

The Villagers Against Pollution group hired a marquee to hold the meeting and hundreds of residents were expected to turn up to protest about the plans for the compost machinewhich would treat sewage and animal dung, abattoir waste, dairy products and beer waste. TEG Environmental, who were expected to attend the meeting, want to build the machine in Thropps Lane, behind St Oswald's Primary School in Chapel Lane.

Anne Wilkin, a retired biochemist from nearby Walmer Bridge, was due to give a talk at the meeting highlighting residents' fears and their anger at safety questions going unanswered.

Speaking before the meeting she said: "It is a complicated and frightening issue and, in order to answer all the questions on how the plant may affect our health, we need lots of experts from different fields."