WIDOW Rosalind Craven has vowed to fight on after losing her battle to halt the march of the pylons across the Vale of York.

Even though she may still face ruinous costs for her campaign of opposition, she still intends if possible to take her case to the Court of Appeal.

A High Court judge awarded National Grid an injunction yesterday, preventing Mrs Craven blocking access to her land at Home Farm, Huby, near Easingwold, where it wants to build three pylons.

Judge Simon Hawkesworth QC, also said she should pay some of the £65,000 costs claimed by National Grid against her.

He said the issue of costs should be investigated at a later date by a District Judge, but that she should only pay 50 per cent of the sum that was agreed upon.

Mrs Craven said the costs bill could ruin her and force her to sell up her home.

The costs bill includes a claim for more than £5,500 for video surveillance during a confrontation at Mrs Craven's farm gate in September, when Mrs Craven refused access to National Grid staff and contractors.

She told the High Court in Leeds yesterday that such a claim was "totally incredible". She said the sound quality on the video had been "absolutely dreadful", and claims that the costs application was inflated.

The company wants to build the three pylons as part of its controversial project for a new power line from Teesside to Shipton-by-Beningbrough, near York.

It has sought the injunction following Mrs Craven's refusal of access in September, claiming that wayleaves giving it access had been granted by the Government years ago, but that Mrs Craven had since then obstructed every effort to come to an agreement over access.

The judge yesterday rejected Mrs Craven's arguments that the National Grid's application should be refused because it had acted in an unconstitutional and undemocratic manner, and also that the company's contractors would not have the same right of access as the company itself.

He said an injunction was an appropriate remedy.

Mrs Craven said after the hearing that one argument she intended taking to the Court of Appeal would be that she has not had a fair hearing, as she was entitled under the Human Rights Act, because she had not had access to legal representation, while National Grid had been able to call upon 11 lawyers in support of its case.

A spokesman for National Grid said it did not wish to cause any more distress and hardship to Mrs Craven, and the company hoped to sit down with her and discuss matters.

Asked whether National Grid would immediately press ahead with the construction of pylons on Mrs Craven's land after receiving the injunction, but with a possible appeal pending, he said that this matter would have to be considered.

Updated: 10:11 Wednesday, December 11, 2002