WYRE Forest people have been urged to turn out in their hundreds for the crunch meeting in the fight to prevent a giant waste incinerator being built in Kidderminster.

The rallying call comes on the eve of Monday's unprecedented meeting of county planners at Kidderminster Town Hall which has been labelled as a "golden opportunity" to halt the scheme.

Worcestershire Cou-nty Council planning committee has already bowed to public pressure by breaking with tradition to meet away from County Hall.

Now campaigners have received a further boost with news Stop Kidder-minster Incinerator member Clare Cassidy will be given five minutes to speak against the plans to locate the burner in Stourport Road.

Mrs Cassidy will argue operating company Severn Waste Services has chosen the wrong location for the £40 million waste-to-energy burner on grounds it will cause a dangerous increase in traffic and damage the health of residents.

County planners have also chosen one unnamed member of the public to speak, but no-one else will be able to participate when the council decides whether to permit the plant.

Wyre Forest district councillor and SKI member Fran Oborski said: "This is the community's golden opportunity to show how we feel. They have heard the distant rumbling of thunder, now let's show them the storm.

"The councillors coming to Kidderminster do not read our local paper and do not talk to people in our shops, so the time has arrived for them to realise the force of our feelings."

She urged Wyre Forest folk: "Don't rely on members of SKI, neighbours, friends or families, get yourselves down there to show how strongly you feel about the issue."

Her thoughts were echoed by Mrs Cassidy, who said: "People must come along in force and can still telephone County Hall to voice their opinions because the battle continues and we are determined to win."

The meeting begins at 10.30am.