Two Norfolk MPs have met with the environment secretary to raise concerns over plans to build an incinerator.

Elizabeth Truss and Henry Bellingham hope Caroline Spelman, secretary of state for DEFRA, will order a rethink because of public opposition to the plan.

They also raised proposals to fund the incinerator with a �169m PFI (private Finance Initiative) deal. Government guidelines say there should be 'broad public consensus' for any PFI deal.

But in a referendum organised by West Norfolk council, more than 65,000 people voted against the incinerator.

The MPs also raised the wider issue of Norfolk's approach to waste disposal, when they met Mrs Spelman last night.

Today, Ms Truss said: 'She listened to what we had to say and I felt it was a very constructive meeting.

'We need to find a solution that deals with the overall waste which does have the support of the local community.

'The referendum showed clearly that there is not a broad local consensus for the current plans and the secretary of state said she will come back to us with her thoughts.'

Norfolk County Council wants to build the incinerator at Saddlebow, near King's Lynn.

It claims the scheme offers the most cost-effective way to dispose of the county's waste.

But campaigners against the plant say there are health risks and the priority should be recycling.

Last week Mrs Spelman was urged in the House of Commons to step in and block plans for an incinerator at Ivybridge, in Devon.

She told SW Devon MP Gary Streeter: 'We recognise the difficulties that incineration can cause locally, which is why we strongly support these decisions being made at local level.'

Mrs Spelman is also being urged to withdraw PFI credits for an incinerator proposed for North Yorkshire.