VILLAGERS faced with the prospect of a controversial composting plant fewer than 400 metres from their homes have come out in force to show their opposition.

More than 500 residents of Thorpe Willoughby, near Selby, flocked to the village sports club to oppose an application made by Yorwaste - a waste management company owned by North Yorkshire County Council and City of York Council - to open a composting plant for black bin rubbish.

The club is at the south end of the village, closest to the proposed site to the south of the A64. Opposition to the facility has been spearheaded by RATTY (the Residents' Action To stop Trial by Yorwaste).

Villagers formed a human "NO" and the organisers brought along a bag of rubbish similar to that which will be processed at the site.

RATTY chairwoman Alison Craven said: "The rubbish absolutely stank. And this stuff will be driven 30 miles from the landfill site at Rufforth."

If the application is passed, the facility will run on a trial basis, composting organic household waste such as leftover food, paper and nappies.

RATTY spokeswoman Sylvia Parkinson said: "We invited all the village to come along and support us, and more than 500 turned up and signed our petition. The protest was held on the playing fields, which are used by people from all over the district."

She said they were concerned about the odours the site could produce.

John Miller, recycling and external affairs manager at Yorwaste, said: "With any kind of waste management structure there are concerns about trucks on the road, smells and problems with vermin. We understand these concerns and we've worked with people opposed to the plant to take them into account. We believe we've addressed their concerns with our amended application."

Mrs Parkinson hit back, saying the facilities at the mushroom farm were in a poor state and measures outlined in the amended application would not contain the smells of the decomposing rubbish.