ANIMAL liberation activists and bomb threats are among reasons given by bosses at a Trowbridge pie factory for wanting to shift a public footpath that splits its site in two.

Bowyers has submitted plans to divert the footpath dissecting its Stallard Street site so it snakes around the factory rather than directly through it.

A new path would be constructed between the subway near the railway and Station Way.

The Wiltshire Times first revealed the factory's plans in October when ex-manager Wayne Day told of threats posed by industrial food terrorists.

In an application brief submitted to West Wiltshire District Council, Bowyers managers said big-name firms like Tesco, Safeway and Asda were concerned about the security on site, threatening contracts and hundreds of jobs.

Bowyers, which rakes in £47m a year, wants to build two new storage units on their town centre site, to replace an aging cold store facility in Shails Lane.

Managers said the relocation of facilities would help the firm compete in a 'highly efficient' food-packing environment.

Councillors and residents have called for a public meeting before the plans go to district council's planning committee.

In the brief it stated customers were concerned with the ease with which intruders could walk on site and tamper with products or equipment. Industrial espionage is also listed as a known concern.

The footpaths "appalling aesthetics" and crime risks, coupled with the dangers posed by lorries accessing the site across the footpath are among other concerns.

Innox Road resident Jane Abercromby said the path had a double life, recognised as a valued resource during the day but a risk to safety at night.

"People have to keep in mind it is going to cause a lot of extra traffic as people from Broadmead are not going to walk all the way around," she said.

"But then again it really is a nuisance at night.

"We have a big problem with vandalism and had a fire bombing the other week. It was very scary."

Representatives from Bowyers attended a town council meeting on Tuesday and agreed to hold a public consultation on the plans.

Cllr Jeff Osborn urged people to respond to the consultation, while Cllr Tom James said he was impressed with the firm's big-spending idea.