NINETY-EIGHT per cent of Bidford villagers have voted against plans to extend a quarry near their homes.

Hundreds of residents packed Crawford Hall to have their vote in a parish poll.

Villagers called for the vote after RMC Materials submitted a planning application to Warwickshire County Council to extend its sand and gravel workings at Marsh Farm in Salford Priors.

Eager villagers queued for 30 minutes to get into the hall last Thursday, some having to return four times because there was no room in the car park.

Within the four-hour voting period 98 per cent of villagers had voted against the application with only 34 people voting in favour.

The poll took place between 4pm and 9pm with no proxy or postal votes and results were announced at 9.30pm.

Walter Stafford, spokesman for Bidford-on-Avon Residents' Group, said: "It's was victory for the whole of Bidford. People here do not want the rural character of Bidford to be ruined by a quarry. The campaign against RMC has been very successful and the poll shows we stand together against RMC."

Parish council clerk Elisabeth Uggerloese was delighted by the result and was pleased to see so many villagers take part.

"The parish is really pleased with the result for the people of Bidford," she said. "The people want to protect the rural character of their environment."

Elizabeth Young, communications officer from RMC Materials, said: "The sand and gravel resources within this quarry extension are needed for the maintenance and building of our hospitals, schools and transport infrastructure. As part of the application we have carried out an environmental assessment to minimise impact from operations at this site. For instance, we are proposing to carry all materials on a conveyor belt to the existing quarry to minimise traffic. The extension will also be well screened from residents, and restored to wetland and wildlife habitants once extraction has been completed."

Parish councillors are expected to discuss the results of the poll at their next meeting on Tuesday, June 7 to decide on their next move.