RYEDALE residents have urged the Government to "put a brake on the dash for gas" at a public meeting with industry regulators this week.

More than 250 people packed a meeting at Malton School on Monday for a lively and at times emotive question time chaired by Ryedale MP Kevin Hollinrake and involving representatives from the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Environment Agency, the Health and Safety Executive and British Geographical Survey.

Third Energy has put in an application to conduct test fracking at its site in Kirby Misperton. North Yorkshire County Council will make a decision on the application next month.

Speaking at the meeting Dr Tim Thornton, a Ryedale District councillor for Pickering, raised concerns over the increase in pregnancy complications reportedly linked to fracking wells.

"It is time to put the brakes on this dash for gas," he said.

Fellow councillor John Clark, who is also a member of North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC), said there was a great deal to take into account and more time was needed to make the right decision.

Coun Clark said: "Health, the environment, agriculture, wildlife, tourism and transport among other polices have to be taken into account, which is fine if this is the umpteenth application they have had to look at, but grossly unfair in the present time scale.

"I would ask Mr Hollinrake to use his influence on the Conservative Government and ask them on this occasion to give the county council more time to decide this application rather than have it forced on the people of North Yorkshire."

Mr Hollinrake said there was a good deal of mistrust in the industry and the motives of the Government by the wider public.

"We all have to protect what we have in the local area," he said. "I am here to represent Thirsk and Malton in Westminster, not Westminster in Thirsk and Malton."

Mr Hollinrake said thought had to be given to the next generation of children and believed there was a national solution to national needs in shale gas.

"The industry will create 64,000 jobs and bring hundreds of billions of pounds in tax revenue to our economy," he said.

"We are dependent on too many unstable spots around the world for our energy needs. We have to listen to the experts and all keep open minds."

Concerns were raised over what regulations were in place to deal with a spillage of toxic waste and how hazards would be adequately controlled and whether the Environmental Agency had the capacity to take on the extra workload.

Mr Hollinrake said: "It is all about taking a strategic view and we do have to take into account the impact on health, the environment, noise and light.

"It is up to the local authority to decide a local plan to make sure sites are as few and far between as possible and that we don't have lorries trundling through small villages.

"I would like to see policies in place that will minimise any impact to public health."

He added: "I am confident we have the right regulators who will tell us the truth and act transparently.

"I also have the confidence that if things go wrong we are prepared to stop and review the position, however with the proper regulations we should be taking the next step."