PROTESTERS against a five-turbine wind farm near their village crammed into a minibus to visit Somerset's only towering turbine.

More than ten residents from the anti-Huntspill wind farm group fighting energy company Ecotricity's Black Ditch wind farm plans visited the 120m-tall turbine on the Mendips.

The green company organised the hour-long visit in response to concerns about the noise, size and shadow flicker among other issues raised in regard to the five 140m-tall planned turbines.

The Bridgwater and Burnham Times exclusively joined the group and company representatives feet away from the turbine last week.

Protesters Julie Trott and Nicky Sucksmith, who live between 500m and 700m from the proposed windfarm site, spoke about the Mendip structure at the event.

Julie, 50, of Withy Road, West Huntspill, who has lived there for 11 years, said: "My concerns centre on how the wind farm will harm our way of life.

"We're not against green energy but the proposed location is not the best place."

Nicky, 58, of Old Pawlett Road, who has lived in West Huntspill for around 33 years, said: "This turbine is not even as big as the ones proposed for Black Ditch, and it's making such a noise and a hiss – imagine five (of them) and (them being) closer to homes.

"This visit has not changed my mind about the plans."

In response, Ecotricity spokesman Mike Cheshire and Victoria Allen tried to field questions.

Mr Cheshire said: "We offered to bring people up here to show them the turbine up close, the sound it makes and provide other information.

"We are behind the rest of Europe when it comes to turbines and renewable energy and we believe in the project."

He also compared the two developments, saying that the two-year-old Mendip mast produced enough electricity last year for more than 1,600 homes, while the Black Ditch farm will power around 7,800 typical homes.

He added that in the 800 days the turbine has been working, it has only been out of action for eight days, due to wind speeds and technical problems.

During the trip one protester, Richard Sucksmith, surprised Ecotricity's representatives by saying he knew one of the residents near the turbine, Mr Cook.

He invited the group to detour the minibus to his nearby home to discuss the matter, but Ms Allen repeated the minibus was on timed hire and they could not detour.

The group were upset and angry, and the company ended saying the protesters were more than happy to visit him in their own time.

Mr Sucksmith said: "Mr Cook is happy for us to visit him on the way back and he will tell us the truth about living near the turbine.

"He tells me it's very noisy, especially at night, but the company will not take a little time for us to visit him."

Another protester added: "It's like Ecotricity have something they want to hide."