PYLONS campaigner Rosalind Craven has lost her latest legal battle against National Grid - but the war will continue.

The widow had been seeking to re-open her appeal against a High Court ruling last December, which allowed National Grid to build power lines across her land.

Her application has now been turned down, but Mrs Craven, of Home Farm, Huby, near Easingwold, revealed her epic David-and-Goliath struggle against the electricity giants was now set to take a new twist.

She told the Evening Press she intended lodging an application for a judicial review of the whole decision to allow National Grid to build a controversial line of pylons across the Vale of York.

She said she believed the decision to give the route the go-ahead had been unlawful, and her intended action would involve not just National Grid but also the Department of Trade and Industry.

Furthermore, Mrs Craven said that if that application failed, she would be prepared to take the matter to the European Court.

The widow was first involved in a farmgate confrontation with National Grid in September last year when, flanked by supporters, she refused access to her land for contractors wanting to begin preparatory work.

Last December, the High Court in Leeds imposed an injunction banning her from blocking access, and three pylons were built on Mrs Craven's land earlier this year.

The power lines have been carrying electricity for some months.

In September, the widow was involved in another farmgate confrontation when she refused to unlock a gate to allow contractors to begin reinstatement work, following the completion of the scheme. The workmen then used an electric saw to cut through the lock.

A National Grid spokesman said such an application for judicial review would be a matter between Mrs Craven, the courts and the DTI, but he stressed that the company was anxious to reach an agreement with her on a number of outstanding issues.

Updated: 08:54 Monday, December 08, 2003