WIND turbines are like giant alien machines from a sci-fi horror story, North Wiltshire MP James Gray has claimed.

The Tory hit out at government plans to increase the number of windfarms nationwide, insisting they damage the landscape.

Quoting from HG Wells' science fiction classic The War of the Worlds, the MP said high-tech windfarms were "monstrous tripods, striding over young pine trees, and smashing them aside".

He added the sound of turbines was a clattering tumult and like the riot of thunder.

A decision is due today into modifications of the plan for a five-turbine windfarm at Watchfield.

The Vale of White Horse District Council will vote on the improvements after three years of deliberations in an application by Adam Twine. Mr Gray said although there were arguments for greener energy, no-one would want to live close to a wind turbine.

And he said the environmental cost of the farms outweighed their benefits.

"It would be an environmental catastrophe for our green and pleasant land were we to seek to achieve an unduly large amount of our renewables obligation from onshore wind," he said. But he did admit some windfarms should be built to help improve the amount of electricity generated by renewable energy. His comments came in a parliamentary debate on the Government's energy policy.

But Energy Minister Mike O'Brien accused Tories of scaremongering.

He branded the Conservatives as fundamentally dishonest for claiming they would allow communities to block windfarms while still delivering a green energy policy.