CAMPAIGNERS against a proposed bypass will be taking to the streets tomorrow (Saturday).

Chalky the pantomime white horse will be in Westbury town centre from 10am until midday collecting letters of protest against Wiltshire County Council's planning application for an eastern bypass around the town.

John Osborne, from the Westbury bypass alliance, said; "Not only is the planned bypass extremely unpopular locally, it would spoil a recreation area enjoyed by many visitors."

The group, which favours a western link road scheme, maintains the £15m road will damage wildlife and not solve Westbury's traffic problem.

Others in the town have been campaigning under the slogan 'Westbury Needs a Bypass Now' and have staged three marches in the town in recent months calling for a swift end to traffic congestion.

Wiltshire County Council failed to secure Government funding for the scheme last year but has submitted the planning application in order to ensure it can act as quickly as possible if and when funding becomes available.

At a meeting of Westbury Town Council on Monday councillors voted by five to four not to object to the application, although about a third of the council were barred from taking part in the vote because they are considered to have an interest in the application.