VILLAGERS in the Littletons are stepping up the pressure against the extension of Kanes Foods factory.

They are angry that Wychavon District Council passed the plans, subject to the Secretary of State's approval, and are demanding a public inquiry.

In the meantime residents are planning a series of random protests aiming to disrupt production at the factory, and they also plan to contact Kanes customers to highlight the village dispute.

Chairman of South Littleton parish council, Jeremy Farrow said: "We have started parking our cars outside our houses in a perfectly legal way, which highlights the fact that the roads are too narrow for huge juggernauts to negotiate. If they can't get through when they need to, production will be affected.

"Also we plan to contact Kanes customers to see if they are bothered about the fact that our narrow roads are blocked with HGV's and our gardens turn blue with the factory's effluent."

The villagers became incensed when they heard the council had passed plans that went against its normal planning guidelines for a six-acre extension to the 20-acre factory.

They say the huge amount of lorries streaming through their roads already created a danger to pedestrians because the pavements are inadequate and the effluent from the factory surges up from the sewers into their gardens.

Owner of the multi-million pound food packing and distribution company, Dr John Randall said, when he heard the news about the demonstrations: "I shall have to take it all on the chin. It is out of my hands."

All the papers regarding the planning application have now been sent to the Secretary of State, John Prescott, for him to decide whether or not there needs to be a public inquiry.