Environmental campaigners battling against incinerators in Essex are poised to bring their Mad Hatter's Tea Party to Southend.

The display of costumed characters from Alice in Wonderland aims to highlight the "madness" of the recent vote by Essex County councillors to accept the Essex and Southend Waste Plan, which fails to rule out incineration.

Now Southend is due to ratify the same waste plan and Friends of the Earth campaigners on Friday said it was time for the borough to take action.

The controversial plan includes a list of six areas designated as suitable sites for incinerators - Basildon, Old Heath and Stanway in Colchester, Rivenhall, Sandon and North Weald Airfield.

Campaigners say pollution from incinerators travels up to 45 miles and plan to make their point at Southend's full council meeting on Thursday, which is due to debate the waste plan.

Meanwhile, Basildon has declared itself an "incinerator-free zone".

All three political parties on the council agreed the move to send out a message that incinerators are not wanted in the area. Although it has no basis in law, it will highlight the strength of feeling in the area.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.