A COUNCIL chief has called on the new Government to carry out a major health survey in the Ribble Valley as the row over controversial Cemfuel took a new twist.

In an unusual move, David Morris, chief executive of the Ribble Valley Council, has written to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott requesting a "thorough survey of human and animal health in the vicinity of Castle Cement, Clitheroe, in order to establish or disprove alleged links between pollution from cement kilns and public health".

Mr Morris will ask councillors to back the move at a meeting of the council's community committee tomorrow night.

Meanwhile Castle Cement was yesterday accused by a national newspaper of being one of five major British companies which regularly illegally pollute the environment.

In the Sunday Times article Chatburn resident Liz Gardner is cited as one of 18 Ribble Valley residents involved in legal action against Castle Cement for exposure to "clouds of noxious smoke, sulphur dioxide and other toxic gases".

Mrs Gardner claimed that fumes from the plant have forced her to stop her children walking along the banks of the River Ribble.

A Castle Cement spokesman said: " Castle Cement has always said that it would readily co-operate with any investigation into the impact, if any, of cement manufacture on public health.

"In the 100-year history of the UK industry no links have been established between cement manufacture and ill health."

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