A PROTEST walk over controversial plans to build an extra 16 wind turbines at a Rossendale wind farm attracted over 100 people.

Adults, children, babies and dogs came together for the walk from Cowpe Road in Waterfoot along the Pennine Bridleway to Waugh's Well.

The walkers had protest banners against the proposed wind turbines for the four mile trek.

The proposal was approved by Rossendale council's development control committee last September after Peel Energy and United Utilities submitted the joint venture to expand the wind farm from 26 to 42 turbines, back in September, despite fierce opposition from campaigners.

The site is on Scout Moor, between Rawtenstall and Edenfield, on open moor land that overlooks Bury.

Protester Falmai Binns, who lives in Holcombe, said: "The walk went really well, it was astonishing how many people turned up.

"You never know with these voluntary things how they are going to go but it was great. There were even mothers carrying small babies.

"The views at the stop were spectacular and it really was a great sight up there which will be ruined by the extra turbines.

"The amount of people that turned up just shows the strength of feeling against this.

"The government guidelines state that there must be strong support for them to be built but this shows strong objection so it shouldn’t go ahead."

When they got to the top of the view point at Waugh’s Well, which was built in 1966 to commemorate Edwin Waugh, a successful Lancashire dialect poem, Holcombe resident Chris Woods read one of his own pieces of work.

Mrs Binns said: "I got quite emotional listening to the words of the poem about the landscape especially when you are stood there looking out on it, it's a thing of beauty.

"It will be spoilt for no good reason if these turbines go up there. You will be able to see them as far as the eye can see and as of yet I haven't met anyone who supports it."

The application has now been passed to the Department for Communities and Local Government and there will be an inquiry held in October to make a final decision on the plans.