Vandals cut the wires on 230ft test for turbine near Queniborough

Vandals brought a 230ft wind -testing mast in Leicestershire crashing to the ground after cutting a series of guy wires that held it in place.

Police are investigating the attack on the mast put up by ScottishPower Renewables on land by Ridgemere Lane, near Queniborough.

The mast had been put up by the power company to test wind levels as part of its proposal to place four large turbines in the area.

It is believed bolt-cutters were used to sever the four guy wires which anchored the mast in place, causing it to snap in half and collapse.

ScottishPower Renewables said the equipment had been damaged beyond repair and replacing it would cost £25,000.

Campaign group ScottishPower Renewables Out (Sprout), who are fighting the proposed wind farm, said it was not responsible for the attack and condemned those responsible.

Chair of Sprout and Queniborough villager Mike Jones said: "This has nothing to do with the campaign against the wind farm.

"This does not help our fight against the wind farm and I do not condone these actions in any way.

"The test mast could actually give us the evidence to prove that it is not the right place for a wind farm."

Campaigner John Tinning said the attack raised "serious concerns" about security, claiming the attack was "entirely predictable".

He said: "In our submissions both to Charnwood Borough Council Plans Committee and to the planning inspector we did point out that there was no security built into this project whatsoever.

"This was seriously asking for trouble." Vandals are thought to have struck sometime between 9am on Monday, October 5, and 11am the following day, a week after it was installed.

A spokesman for ScottishPower Renewables said that following a risk assessment it had not felt security was an issue.

He added: "The incident has been reported to police and they are investigating.

"We will be looking to put a replacement mast up as soon as possible. This will not affect our testing."

ScottishPower Renewables unveiled plans for the wind farm in 2008.

It has generated fierce opposition from villagers who claimed it would spoil the rural character of the area.

Campaigners have fought against every step of the proposal and, in February, an application for a test mast to be erected was rejected. It was later allowed after Scottish Renewables appealed against the decision. A Government inspector ordered the mast should be dismantled after three years.

A police spokesman said: "Police were called following the report of criminal damage to the mast. It happened sometime between 9am on Monday October 5 and 11am on Tuesday October 6, 2009 when wires connected to the mast were cut, causing a considerable amount of damage."

Anyone with any information about this incident should contact police on 0116 222 2222.