triumphant residents in Latchford are celebrating a Government inspector's decision to throw out plans for a waste transfer station in the heart of their community.

The inspector dismissed the appeal, by Isherwood Skip Hire, against Warrington Borough Council's refusal to grant planning consent for land off Knutsford Road last week.

The station would have been next to Victoria Park and Black Bear linear park and also yards away from Sir Thomas Boteler CE High School.

Labour ward councillor Maureen Creaghan said: "I'm absolutely delighted, over the moon.

"We have worked very hard for a long time, everybody has - councillors, schools, residents' associations and community groups - so many people.

"It's been a complete community effort and it shows what we can do. Power to the people!"

Clr Elaine Welborn said: "I am very pleased about it. It's been 12 months of work from the residents and it goes to show that public protest can work sometimes.

"Latchford is a renewal area and an improving area, people are proud of it and we want to go forward."

The plans also included access from Knutsford Road, at its junction with Brook Place, to enable HGVs to use the 0.76-hectare site.

The fight to block the application started last year when 522 residents signed a petition and around 35 pupils at Our Lady's Catholic Primary School sent letters of objection to the borough council.

Up to 11,000 lorries would have passed through Warrington each week to take material to the plant for recycling, and residents and teachers alike were worried about the added traffic, noise and pollution.

But the plans were thrown out chiefly because of the noise, pollution and loss of amenity that would have been caused to the Black Bear trail, as well as the potential impact on recreational activities at the Grange Sports and Social Club.