Villagers will be put 'under the cosh' after a green energy company has appealed against a Breckland Council decision to reject plans for two wind turbines, it was claimed today.

The Ecotricity application for the 100m-high turbines on agricultural land at Church Lane, between Bradenham and Shipdham, near Dereham, was turned down by councillors in August.

A battle to install the turbines has been taking place for more than a decade, during which time the application has been refused by Breckland on several occasions and has been through public inquiries and High Court hearings.

Ecotricity has again appealed to the Planning Inspectorate. It is not yet known when an inquiry will be held but a spokesman for the company said it could take place at the start of next year.

Stephen Kite, chairman of the action group Campaign Against Turbines in Shipdham, said: 'We expected they would appeal. It is just another expression of their appalling behaviour. Having lost on previous occasions, here they are putting the people of Shipdham and Daffy Green under the cosh again when they know that local people have acted democratically to say no to this. They are flying in the face of democracy.'

The Ecotricity spokesman said the company was 'disappointed' Breckland refused the plans on landscape grounds.

For the full story, read tomorrow's EDP.