THE heat's up on the battle of the countryside with the formation of an East Lancashire group set to fight the proposed "right to roam" legislation.

The new group, Pendle Action for the Countryside, includes farmers, gamekeepers, country residents and members of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Their aim is to protect Pendle's wildlife heritage from what they claim is an "indiscriminate" right to roam policy.

The organisation was set up at a meeting at the Herders Inn, Laneshawbridge.

Vice chairman and press officer Shirley Whiteley said they hoped to bring pressure to bear on Pendle MP Gordon Prentice a leading supporter of the proposed right to roam legislation, by drawing public attention to the threat to wildlife from unrestrained wandering on upland, moorland and common land. Those at the meeting, she said, had a deep-seated concern for the well-being of the already threatened flora and fauna.

Among those attending were local golf club officials, concerned by the threat legislation might have on some of the clubs in the area which are partly sited on common land.

The group will be at Trawden Agricultural Show on August 13 collecting signatures for a petition to be presented to Mr Prentice later in the year.

Mrs Whiteley said: "The petition will ask him to think again about the harm this legislation will cause, and the additional strain which will be placed on farmers and country residents alike, whose livelihoods will be affected and who will receive no compensation for damage done to land, livestock etc."

Officials elected at the inaugural meeting were: chairman, Allan Hutchinson, the licensee of the Herders Inn, and secretary, Trawden farmer Karen Greenwood.

The next meeting will be held at the Herders on Wednesday, August 23, at 7.30pm.