AN MEP yesterday joined campaigners to discuss the potential impact of the opencast mine near their community.

Dozens of protesters met Liberal Democrat MEP Fiona Hall at the proposed site - Skon's Park, near Burnopfield.

Ms Hall also met residents at nearby Lobley Hill, Gateshead, as they await the date of a public inquiry to decide the matter.

Campaigners were successful in blocking plans to create the 111-acre opencast mine after Gateshead rejected the application. But the applicant, Hall Construction Services, has appealed.

Ms Hall said: "The strength of people's feeling here is unbelievable. The opencast mine will be on their doorstep and they will suffer dust, noise and vibration.

"There will be a huge impact on the roads, which could see up to 100 lorries a day using narrow country lanes and up steep embankments."

She added: "It is important to keep the pressure up during this process, to make sure nobody thinks the issue has gone away. People are desperately hoping that the secretary will find in their favour."

Hall Construction wants to extract 480,000 tonnes of coal and 100 tonnes of fireclay from the site next to the National Trust's Gibside Estate, on the County Durham/ Northumberland boundary.

A petition calling on the Government to reject the appeal has 784 signatures.

Eddie Stringer, chairman of Residents Against Mining Application, said: "If allowed, this will have a devastating impact on the environment and the people who live in the village. This whole area has been reinstated and we don't want to see it spoiled again. Allowing this opencast would create a precedent and place the valley under threat."

There was no one available for comment at Hall Construction yesterday.