York farmer Ken Foster was today hailed a local hero for refusing to swap land for cash from the National Grid for its controversial pylons line through the Vale of York.

Mr Foster, 63, of Newlands Farm, Shipton Lane, Wigginton, has turned down a £50,000 offer from National Grid, which wants to erect three giant pylons, the size of Nelson's Column, on his land.

The defiant farmer is one of a growing band of landowners who have thrown themselves behind the high-profile campaign to halt the march of the 50-mile power line.

Ray Liddle, who farms at Borrowby Bank Farm, near Thirsk, has also refused money for pylons to go on his land.

Mr Foster said he already had three National Grid pylons on his farm and did not want any more.

He said: "They offered me £50,000 for the three, but I turned them down. We don't want them to come, they would spoil the Vale of York. We have to hold out as long as we can to stop it. We have to stick together to hope we can stop it. Once they are there, they are there for a long time.

"That is our main purpose to try to stop it altogether. It is not a case of profiteering."

Anti-pylons action group REVOLT is writing to all landowners along the line, which stretches from Shipton-by-Beningbrough, near York, to Cleveland, with details of its non co-operation policy as part of their campaign to scupper the scheme.

During the seven-year campaign against the scheme, two-thirds of landowners along the route opposed the plan. Despite widespread opposition and two public inquiries, the Government approved the £200 million scheme in March.

A Department of Trade and Industry inspector ruled that most of the landowners had to allow the National Grid to erect the pylons in return for compensation, which was agreed on a national scale and amounted to tens of thousands of pounds for each farmer.

The farmers' moves are part of a campaign by REVOLT to stop the pylons. Last week, campaigners urged supporters to buy shares in the National Grid so they can lobby shareholders. North Yorkshire County Council and Hambleton District Council are to forge ahead with a judicial review.

A National Grid spokesman said today that negotiations were confidential and it could not discuss individual cases.

However, he said that payments were designed to take account of the circumstances of each landholder and the impact the line would have on him, and therefore would vary from property to property. Normal valuation codes of practice were observed, but landholders were advised to be represented professionally. "We believe that the arrangements are fair and even-handed."

He added that National Grid would prefer to reach amicable agreements with individual landholders and co-operate fully to minimise the impact on the land and community.

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