Battle lines have been drawn by anti-pylon protesters intent on direct action against the imminent construction of a power line through North Yorkshire.

Campaign group REVOLT has even produced a five-point plan of action in its a document presented to a packed Thirsk Town Hall at the group's annual meeting last night.

After years of fighting on paper, REVOLT is now prepared for physical measures in light of recent news that the National Grid has the secretary of state's go-ahead to start work on the Lackenby-Picton-Shipton line from Teeside to the outskirts of York.

The group's chairman, Professor Mike O'Carroll, says work could begin at the southern end of the line as soon as December 11.

But Prof O'Carroll is keen to ensure that protesters stay within the law, and he even welcomed the police to an eleventh-hour debate to advise the group on how far they can go in stopping the diggers.

Central to REVOLT's objections are health concerns connected with high-voltage power lines. Others include visual intrusion, and the belief that the line is simply a profit-making 'white elephant'.

The build-up to direct action coincides with new research from Bristol University, which claims to show increased incidence of cancer related to those living within 500 metres of power lines.

The magnetic field around the lines is said to concentrate the harmful effects of polluted particles in the air, which then blow down on to surrounding populations.

Prof O'Carroll is not sure exactly when or where his group will intervene, but the guidance to protesters includes:

* Turn up to make a physical protest and stand in National Grid's way.

* Do not cause violence or damage you have a good legal basis to protest.

* Obey the police You have no need to get yourself arrested.

Rapturous applause for Prof O'Carroll at the end of the meeting reflected the passion felt by REVOLT members.

Afterwards, he said: "The protests will happen when National Grid attempt to start work. We will be trying to make it very difficult for them to proceed.

"We will be keeping in regular touch with their shareholders, and hope they will see sense and relent. There is the health of people at stake, and the image of the company could be dragged through the mud."

Superintendent David Short, operations commander for North Yorkshire Police (Eastern Area), told the meeting: "I am sitting in front of people who would never dream of doing anything wrong. You are upstanding members of the community who feel passionately about something.

"My strategy in dealing with this is to ensure that you peacefully protest within the law, and there is nothing in your guidelines that causes me great concern."

For more information about REVOLT, the group's website address is: www.revolt.co.uk

phil.chapman@ycp.co.uk