Campaigners hoping to protect their rural home from quarrying have taken a councillor’s comments literally to show their defiance.

Members of the Aldborough Hatch Defence Association, who are rallying against plans for further gravel extraction in the area, were out in force armed with their pitchforks in response to Cllr Wes Streeting’s letter in the Recorder last week.

Addressing Ron Jeffries, chairman of the association, the deputy council leader wrote: “Before [Mr Jeffries] comes after me with a pitchfork, I want to reassure him that the approach he advocates – squeezing value from every last inch of brown field before green belt development – has been my position and the Labour Party’s position for some time.”

But following the letter, Mr Jeffries said: “Whilst we have plenty of pitchforks in Aldborough Hatch – for we were a farming community until sand and gravel extraction took that from us – we are kindly country folk and will keep our pitchforks sheathed.

“But let there be no doubt. We will fight further sand and gravel extraction, and housing on our part of the green belt with vigour and determination – and our pitchforks will be on standby.”