Protesters fighting the widening of Priory Crescent in Southend are planning a month of demonstrations as a finale to their 18-month battle to scupper the scheme.

Campaigning group Parklife is to throw itself into a frenzy of demonstrations in a final bid to stop what they call "an environmental disaster".

Intense - protesters at last night's campaign meeting Picture:STEVE O'CONNELL

Almost 50 people showed up at a meeting at the Railway Hotel, in Southend, last night where protester Shaun Qureshi rallied the troops.

He said: "Everyone is still passionate about this. We have fought this for 18 months and we are now going to kick up the biggest stink yet."

To grab residents' attention, the group is using a mixture of hard-hitting and amusing tactics to raise awareness.

One stunt will be to present the council with £8.34 - exactly one millionth of the cost of the whole scheme.

Mr Qureshi said: "We want to highlight how ridiculous the scheme is."

Another is to tie yellow ribbons onto car aerials and garden gates to show their objections.

Published Thursday, January 9, 2003

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