ABOUT 50 villagers calling for answers about the Drakelow proposals descended on the site and came face-to-face with one of the men behind the scheme.

Residents quizzed Jericho's Richard Beard for over an hour after being tipped off about last Friday's planning inspection visit at a public meeting the night before.

More than 400 people crammed in to Wolverley Memorial Hall for the meeting about the tunnels proposals and hundreds more either listened outside or were turned away.

Wyre Forest MP Dr Richard Taylor confirmed he had been contacted by residents, both for and against the scheme, but was still sorting through details of the proposal before making a decision on his position.

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust confirmed it had written to the district council to lodge its objection to the plans.

Conservation officer with the group, Steve Bloomfield, said: "Previous surveys undertaken suggest the tunnels, both inside and outside, could be used by the Lesser Horseshoe Bats as a roost site. European law protects the species and there may be other species of badgers, slow worms and snakes.

"It is standard procedure to object but if the developers could prove that no harm would be caused to any protected species then we would not have a problem."