on a trip... Horwich residents, who have faced the prospect of a super-tip literally on their doorstep, will probably be more than a little surprised that planning councillors are now going to visit the Red Moss site, before making any decision on the controversial project. Indeed, after being told of the council outing, the reaction of those Horwich folk will probably be: "What's taken them so long?" Actually, some of the comments will probably be slighty stronger - and unprintable!

The 116-acre site, between the M61 and the former Horwich Loco Works, is one of Britain's few remaining peat bogs and a rich habitat for wildlife, according to environmentalists. But, for most Horwich residents, the really frightening aspect must surely be the spectre of living alongside what many think could be the biggest tip in Europe.

The truth is that few things frighten people more than fear of the unknown. And, in this case, all sorts of rumours, half-truths and scare-stories have been bandied out and added fuel to those fears. The sooner everyone - including planning councillors - gets the full facts and implications of developing such a super-tip, the better for all concerned.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.