A 400-name petition protesting against a proposed tip has been handed to Dorset County Council.

People living in Fordington gathered at County Hall in Dorchester to present the petition to council officers, asking them to reconsider plans to site a new household waste and recycling centre near their homes.

Land at the junction of St George's Road and Eddison Avenue has been chosen by planning officers as the preferred site for the tip and has been included in the Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole Waste Local Plan.

Patrick and Fiona Neale, who live in St George's Road, said the land that had been earmarked was unsuitable.

Mr Neale, a farm worker, said: "It's a residential area - the trucks that would have to come to the tip would be turning right in front of our gateway and the road just isn't wide enough there.

"There are small children living all along the road and there would be heavy traffic rolling up and down all day. It's just not the right place for it."

Jacqui Heal, a shopkeeper, lives opposite the Edison Road junction that marks the site of the proposed tip.

She said: "The extra noise and all those vehicles would be terrible. The street is full of young families and the road is used by lots of children on their way to school."

Mayor of Dorchester Tim Harries said an alternative location should be found.

"There are a number of other options and it seems unfortunate that somewhere can't be found at Poundbury, where there are still spaces available."

Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for West Dorset, Justine McGuinness, said the council should think again.

She said: "It should be put somewhere where there is far better access.

"There are other sites that the county council could look at, including three different sites in Poundbury."

Receiving the petition, head of planning at Dorset County Council, Andy Price, said the it would go to an independent planning inspector, whose findings would be binding.