WIND farm objectors will be rallying their troops tomorrow to do battle over a second planning application to site a weather mast in a Ribble Valley beauty spot.

The borough planning committee will be recommended by officers to approve plans for a 130-foot wind speed measuring mast on Easington Fell, Newton.

But protesters campaigning against the project are hoping to win the backing of the council again after a victory over similar plans for Longridge Fell at Dutton just a few weeks ago.

This latest application has been submitted by a completely different company but once again developers have jumped the planning regulation gun and have already erected a small mast on the site without permission.

Geoff Payne, of Dutton, who led the campaign against the project on Longridge Fell near his home, said: "This whole wind farm furore has blown up a storm among local countryside lovers and we are not being parochial about our protests.

"We did not object to the last plan simply because it was near our own homes, we really feel strongly about the whole principle of siting these eyesores on beautiful landscapes."

The planning committee meets tomorrow to discuss the Easington Fell project and Mr Payne is expecting a large group of protesters in the public gallery.

Councillors threw out plans for the wind speed mast on Longridge Fell weeks ago after they heard that a 40-metre mast had been erected without permission.

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