A TOP London barrister who works alongside Prime Minister's wife Cherie Blair, is helping a Lancashire campaign group who have accused the county council of going beyond its power in adopting a controversial waste strategy.

According to ARROW, the Action to Reduce and Recycle Our Waste group, the new waste strategy contains plans to incinerate nearly half of the county's waste for 20 years.

Now David Wolfe of Matrix Chambers law firm is working with the group to challenge the council's decision.

Del Ellis, a spokesman for the group, said: "We have been challenging the council's waste strategy because we feel that it is a lamb in wolves clothing. It pretends to be green.

"We don't think they realise the danger and toxicity of that ash. For example, during the foot and mouth crisis, one pyre for burning animals resulted in 3,000 tons of ash. And the incinerator that could be built in this area would be burning for 20 years. We think that we can cope with recycling our waste."

The council has received 3,000 complaints and says it will examine the plans.