Villagers have voted to continue their fight against a Government decision to allow a quarry to be turned into a landfill site.

Integrated Waste Manage-ment (IWM) emerged the victor after a planning inquiry into the scheme for Buck Park Quarry, Denholme.

But residents of the village have decided not to give up their battle after the Denholme Residents' Action Group (DRAG) received legal advice which, it says, shows the decision is open to challenge, and possibly a judicial review.

The 120 protesters at the meeting raised almost £500 on the night and have resolved to raise another £2,000 for the legal battle.

But time is fast running out for the protesters who have only until next Thursday to lodge their appeal.

Dominic Clark, chairman of DRAG, said: "One of the biggest problems we have is whether we can get Queen's Counsel opinion in time to lodge the appeal.

"Along with this we have to get a fighting fund in place. We are hoping for about £2,000.

"What we were most pleased about at the meeting was the resounding support to move this forward. People were indignant at the planning inspector's decision."

DRAG is also trying to secure legal aid for Denholme resident Maureen Smith who is bidding to start her own legal battle against IWM.

David Senior, Conservative prospective Parliamentary candidate for Shipley, told the meeting: "We are advised that the planning inspector was under a legal duty to form a judgement on the environmental impact of the landfill and was wrong to brush aside the evidence which we presented."

Following January's inquiry, IWM was given permission to build the landfill - overturning an earlier decision by Bradford Council - as long as the scheme fulfilled conditions to lessen the environmental impact.

IWM sees the landfill as a key aspect of Government guidelines to make each area of the country more responsible for the waste it produces.