HUNDREDS of residents in Corsham have signed a petition to stop diggers disturbing toxic land near their homes.

Up to 500 people have put their names on a petition protesting at plans to dig up chemical-ridden land off Hatton Way, to create an access route for a new 600-home development at Pockeridge Farm and Peel Circus.

Campaigners Doreen and Don Stevenson are terrified about toxic chemicals, including asbestos and picric acid, being released into the air by diggers ploughing up the land.

Launching the petition in the aftermath of last month's story in the Chippenham News, the couple have since learnt from neighbours how pets have been developing mysterious rashes which they believe may be down to traces of picric acid seeping through the earth.

Mrs Stevenson, 61, has been scouring the internet for information about picric acid a potentially lethal chemical ground into the land at Corsham from the days an MoD weapon-making factory was based on-site.

Kidney and liver damage are among the wide range of illnesses caused by inhaling the chemical.

Mrs Stevenson said: "I have been making people aware of the situation. A lot of people had no idea what was going on. On the internet it says how dangerous picric acid can be if inhaled.

"Residents say their pets are already getting rashes what will it be like for us if they start digging up the land?

"We really don't want it touched and hundreds of people are agreeing with us.

"We will continue with the petition until the meeting when we will express our views."

Picric acid is a by-product from the manufacturing of explosives. A report carried out by environmental health officials found the acid and asbestos ground into the earth.

Outline planning permission has already been given for up to 600 homes at Pockeridge Farm. A North Wiltshire District Council spokesman said the land was not a danger to the public and all files on the land are open to public inspection.

The planning application for a distributor road off Hatton Way was due for discussion at a North Wiltshire District Council meeting on Wednesday but the debate was postponed.

Mrs Stevenson said: "Delaying the application will give us more time to get signatures.

"I am going to keep going, as, if asbestos gets into the air hundreds of homes will be affected.

"We are only just beginning to learn what picric acid can do."