Residents have lost their fight to keep a toxic substance off their doorstep.

The Airedale Chemical Company has been given the go-ahead to store up to 10 tonnes of sodium bichromate at its site in Skipton Road, Cross Hills.

The firm was also given the go-ahead to increase its stock of formaldehyde - also deemed toxic - from 50 to 65 tonnes.

The controversial move comes after more than 100 residents attended a public meeting to discuss the planning application in March last year.

And 52 letters of objection were submitted to Craven District Council planners.

After months of waiting for a response from the Health and Safety Executive, plans were finally brought before the council's planning committee this week.

The agency concluded "the risks to the surrounding population arising from the proposed operations are so small that there are no significant reasons, on safety grounds, for refusing the application for consent."

Planning committee chairman and ward councillor Philip Barrett acknowledged that the application was a major concern for residents and he admitted he did not like it.

But he said members had little choice but to support the experts.