Marchers turn out in large numbers

The march was organised by the pressure group PACT (Protest at the Asylum Centre at Throckmorton). At the heart of the march were 750 protesters wearing numbers to represent the amount of refugees expected to be housed at the centre.

They were led through the town by Pershore mayor Richard Hampton, county councillor Liz Tucker, Liz Lynne MEP and Sir Michael Spicer MP.

Pershore jazz musician Dutch Lewis's saxophone provided accompaniment to what was otherwise a largely silent protest.

As they passed along the High Street and into Broad Street, residents and shop workers thronged the pavements to applaud the demonstrators.

The marchers then entered Abbey Park via the Defford Road, a route chosen to minimise disruption to a wedding that was being celebrated in the Abbey.

Father of the bride Mike Conway, who led his daughter Michelle into the abbey as protesters began to fill the park, said the march had not disrupted his family's big day. "There was no problem whatsoever," he said. "I am all behind the march and so is Michelle and my son-in-law Matthew. We would have been there to give our support."

After arriving in the park a stage was set up for a rally addressed by PACT chairman Liz Tucker and Sir Michael Spicer, MP.

Sir Michael warned government ministers to scrap the plans or face High Court action. He said: "What is in dispute here is whether the proper place to build these centres is in remote rural areas.

"There is a very real worry that if they come here they will place a burden on already very over-burdened services." Councillor Liz Tucker explained that PACT was not a political or racist organisation and said: "We are not going to allow ourselves to be steamrollered by government and civil servants. We agree with the asylum support workers. Our message is about the specific unsuitability of the Throckmorton site.

"If they go ahead they will waste millions of pounds of our money, simply because they are so stubborn they will not listen."

Protesters raised more than £900 during the march for their legal battle against the government. March organiser Steve Mitchell closed the rally with an appeal for more funds to enlist the best lawyers PACT could get. He said: "We have got a long, long fight in front of us."

Jack Hegarty, head of planning at Wychavon, said that government ministers had put the submission of the plans back from September to the end of October.

He said: "I don't think its particularly good news - they just have more negotiations to complete with Severn Waste."

Townspeople watching the marchers make their way along the High Street were largely supportive of the protest.

Former town mayor coun John Smith, who watched the spectacle from his doorstep on the High Street, said he could not get involved due to injury. "But I am supporting them in spirit," he said. "You cannot push 750 people into a community of only some 100 souls. They will need something to do - and as they say the devil makes work for idle hands."

John Lewis of Cherry Orchard said he thought it could be dangerous to house refugees so close to the tip and the foot-and-mouth burial site. "I do not agree with the centre but purely on health grounds," he said.

John Andrews of Bridge Street agreed that the site was totally unsuitable on health grounds, and added: "The refugees would be better off in smaller groups in city areas where they have facilities, transportation and opportunities for work"

However, Newlands resident Michael Trollope urged people to think more about the plight of the refugees. "Do people not realise the conditions that these refugees are tying to escape from? Have they forgotten the refugees who were trying to escape from Israel 2000 years ago - the ones they were singing about in their churches at Christmas."

The debate over the proposals seems set to dominate discussions in Pershore pubs, parks and parlours for a long time to come.