Villagers have given the thumbs-down to controversial plans to build a waste incinerator on the edge of King's Lynn.

The residents from Grimston, near Lynn, and the surrounding villages gave their unanimous verdict on the proposed 'energy from waste' plant at a public meeting.

The event was held at Pott Row Village Hall and saw Joel Hull put the case forward for incineration on behalf of Norfolk County Council, which claims the scheme would save taxpayers money and be the most environmentally-friendly option over the longer term.

But Norfolk-based environmental consultant Richard Burton put the case against the proposed incinerator which, if built, would be capable of treating up to 268,000 tonnes of household and commercial waste every year.

Mr Burton was joined by Bill Boyd, manager of Roydon Common Nature Reserve, who also spoke at the meeting.

Mr Boyd told villagers that emissions from the planned incinerator could kill rare plant ecosystems permanently and damage the rare habitats of the common.

At the end of the meeting, the entire audience voted unanimously against the incinerator plan.

This latest public meeting comes as a series of public exhibitions on the plans have been announced by the firm which hopes to build the incinerator.

Anglo-US waste consortium Cory Wheelabrator - which has been appointed by Norfolk County Council to build the waste incinerator - will host six events in January and February.

The exhibitions will kick off at the Duke's Head Hotel on King's Lynn's Tuesday Market Place on Friday, January 14 from 12pm to 8pm and the following day from 10am to 4pm.

Downham Market residents will get their chance to view the proposal at the Town Hall on Friday, January 28 between 9am and 4pm.

Further exhibitions will then be held at the Parish Church in Fakenham on Thursday, February 3 and two days later between 9am and 4pm at the Assembly Rooms in Swaffham.

Finally residents will be able to view the plans at the library in Wisbech on Thursday, February 10 from 10am to 5pm.

There will be also a series of newsletters distributed to 24,000 residents around the site.

West Norfolk council will be holding a public referendum of the borough's entire population in the New Year.

A report to councillors about the proposal said: 'The area most directly affected by the county council proposal, given its proposed location at The Willows Business Park on the edge of the town and the direction of the prevailing winds, is in fact the town of King's Lynn itself.'

Supporters believe that the incinerator is safe and will help to tackle the county's growing waste mountain. It will also generate energy which could provide power to 36,000 homes.

But campaigners argue emissions from the plant could pose a risk to people's health.

Public meetings so far in villages around the area have voted almost unanimously against the proposals.