By George Tattum

A LEADING clergyman is backing the campaign against a cement company's £48 million expansion plans.

The Rev John Jones, vicar of Treuddyn and Rural Dean of Mold, fears fallout from Castle Cement's proposed kiln will cause health problems in the community.

He said petitions against the project are available to sign in Treuddyn and Pontblyddyn churches.

Mr Jones stresses he is not trying to sway public opinion, but on the facts and figures he has seen he has no hesitation in opposing the new kiln.

Protest group CANK - Campaign Against the New Kiln - has provided the vicar with petition forms.

'I have handed a number out to fellow clergy in Mold and Deeside,' he said. 'They are available if anyone would like to sign them, but it is up to people to weigh up the pros and cons of the arguement.

'Personally, I am dead against this new kiln. I came to this conclusion after reading reports about the kiln being fired with waste chemicals, which produce dangerous dioxins harmful to health.'

Mr Jones said he realises a number of local people work at the cement plant and are not pleased with his stance, but he feels he has to air his own personal views.

'As far as I am concerned the burning of alternative fuels is a threat to health and I think the evidence is overwhelming,' he said.

'People have the right to know what is going on. My advice to them is to dig deep into the facts that are available.'

Mr Jones said even though the company plans to build a 360ft high chimney to disperse emissions, fallout would still be a problem in a 15-mile radius of Padeswood.

CANK has welcomed the vicar's support and is making a bid to harness public opinion against the proposal ahead of Flintshire planning committee's meeting to discuss the application on February 2.

The group has launched a second petition against the project. Members Cheryl Hurst and Irene Jones, of Bannel Lane, Buckley,  collected several hundred signatures in the shopping precinct at the weekend.