LEADING eco warriors have promised to lend their support to Darwen's fight against a windfarm development on the town's moors.

The activists' pledge comes as fears continue to grow in Darwen that one of the area's last unspoilt areas of natural beauty could be lost forever, replaced with more than a dozen, 200 ft high wind turbines on White Hill.

And although campaigners such as Blue - real name Luke - support proposals for more environmentally friendly sources of energy, they are opposed to many plans because the benefits will not exceed the cost to the environment.

Blue, who is currently leading a campaign in Kent to halt a new leisure development, spoke exclusively to the Citizen and said: "To have proposals to use more 'green' energy is one thing, but these plans in their current state just won't generate enough power to make mass destruction worthwhile."

Although there is no official co-ordination of eco warriors, their grapevine of information has already been set alight by plans to move to the moors.

Blue added: "Instead of destroying the local landscapes they should plough their money into cleaning up their current power stations and look at other forms of clean energy, such as solar panels."

A petition with more than 1,200 signatures has been collected by local residents. They will be shown to the Council and the House of Commons.

Campaigners last took to the trees in this area in 1995 when they tried to halt the development of the M65 through Stanworth woods on the outskirts of Blackburn.

They claimed the motorway extension would increase pollution. Ugly scenes ensued when police and bailiffs moved to remove the campaigners.

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