CAMPAIGNERS are vowing to fight a planned quarry extension, which they say will be disastrous for Westbury's White Horse.

Lafarge Cement hopes to double the size of its stone quarry, just below the town's famous attraction, but some residents fear this will drive tourists away from the beauty spot.

The cement firm owns mineral rights to the area and is expected to lodge a formal planning application with Wiltshire County Council in the next few months. Before this bosses have been in preliminary discussions with rights of way officers at the county council over the implications of the plans.

They would see two bridleways and one footpath leading to the White Horse closed as well as the part closure of another footpath and the re-routing of a third.

Nearby resident Colin Little claims the path closures will force sightseers to run the gauntlet with traffic on the busy road up to the landmark.

He said: "At the moment all sorts of people park their cars and walk their dogs up there. But you will get all these cars thundering past the walkers, it will be disastrous. I think it's going to be a real nightmare. It just seems completely unsuitable.

"When you park to go up to the White Horse the first thing you are going to hit is a huge great hole in the ground. I think they should have opened the plan up to the public initially rather than doing it this way."

Farmer Richard Gale rents the MoD-owned field, which has been earmarked for the quarry's north eastern extension. He said: "My father fought this sort of thing back in 1978. It's been muted for some time, but nobody wants a quarry right by the White Horse.

"I will possibly get compensation from this, but I'm only interested in leaving it as it is for the benefit of the public.

"My father went to see the minister of defence to save the field and I shall do my best to oppose it now. It's the second best-known site in the county after Stonehenge."

Westbury Town Council has also expressed concerns about the extension, but members will wait for the plan to be formally lodged before giving their final verdict.

Lafarge works manager John Collison said the extension would secure the firm's future and alternative routes would be provided for walkers. He said: "The plans feature a superior restoration of the quarry, with increased diversity while having no impact on Bratton Camp, the White Horse or the public open space close to it."