THE Grim Reaper was in Edenfield this week to protest against plans to extend a quarry.

His disturbing appearance in the village on Tuesday (Sept 24) came as a public inquiry into extending Scout Moor Quarry entered its second and final week. The inquiry was called for by Marshalls following the rejection of their application to extend the quarry in 1999.

The reaper, who refused to reveal his true identity, said his guise was to highlight the dangers of extending the quarry, which would, according to the placard he carried, lead to 700 lorries a day, dust and noise pollution, lung disease and other dangers.

Tony Graham, who has been co-ordinating the campaign against the plans, told the Bury Times: "We are not against the quarry in principle. It is the scale of increase that is being proposed. The roads are not suitable to carry the increase in lorries that will result if the quarry is extended."

He added: "We do not know who the Grim Reaper is, but what he is highlighting are very real concerns in the village."

Edenfield Residents Association have been fighting plans to extend Scout Moor Quarry, which overlooks Turn Village, since 1997. Local people claim the plans to extend the quarry by around 60 acres would lead to a fall in their quality of life as well as having safety implications.

Their campaign proved to be a success when Lancashire County Council threw out the plans in 1999. Councillors went against recommendations by planning officers at Lancashire County Council and threw out the application on the grounds of traffic, pollution and the effects it would have on the landscape.

On Wednesday evening (Sept 25), following the appearance of the Grim Reaper, residents held a demonstration outside Edenfield Methodist Church where the inquiry was being held.

Yesterday (Thurs Sept 26), Edenfield Residents Association were given a chance to put their arguments to the public inquiry.

The Government Inspector will make his decision in the coming weeks, ending years of uncertainty for the village. Edenfield and Turn Village have been dogged by worries about the quarry since the 1980s when plans were put forward to turn it into a site for landfill.

Mr Graham said: "We successfully fought that application and we hope our arguments will do the same again."