Beacon lit in eco-town protests

A beacon was lit to express anger over the Government's eco-town proposals.

Last night, campaigners held an open-air event to mark the first anniversary of the scheme's conception.

It was a year to the day since Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced the controversial programme to create 10 eco-towns.

The campaign Against the Co-op Stoughton Eco-Town (Cascet) held the event at King's Norton, near the area where the Co-op plans to build 15,000 homes.

There was a band, dance group, food and drinks tent.

The protest coincided with events by five other campaign groups.

Visitors also brought along their own battery torches as a symbol of their support.

Other protests were held in Sussex, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Bedfordshire, where other proposed eco-towns are proposed.