A HARRY Potter star has thrown his support behind a campaign calling for a controversial pylon plan to be shelved, arguing the impact would be devastating to the environment.

Ralph Fiennes, the actor best known for playing Voldemort in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, is backing a petition to stop “needless destruction of our coast and countryside by National Grid”.

The 110-mile route, which will run through Washbrook, Copdock and East Bergholt before running underground past Dedham, and Langham, has faced huge opposition in Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk due to the environmental impact the plans would have on eastern England.

Fiennes has now featured in Coast, a four-minute video where he says there are alternatives to the pylon project.

He said: “The North Sea offers almost limitless energy from offshore wind turbines.

“Our North Sea neighbours, Denmark, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, are all taking advantage of this, turning wind into light and power by using experience and infrastructure over decades of drilling here for oil and gas.”

National Grid has said the on-shore project will be the cheapest and most efficient option to upgrade the east’s power network.

To sign the petition visit change.org.