AROUND 70 people turned out to protest plans for a new overhead power line along a popular nature trail in Yatton.

The Yatton Against Pylons (YAP) action group organised a walk along the Strawberry Trail on Saturday morning.

They wanted to highlight the beauty of the nature trail after National Grid revealed plans to create a new 400,000 volt overhead power line from Bridgwater to Avonmouth.

The line would bring electricity from the proposed new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point.

The power giant is looking at a series of options, along two "route corridors", considering whether to decommission the existing 132,000 volt line and adopt the same route for the new line or build a new line along the second route.

Corridor one would follow the existing line on the western fringes of the village crossing the B3130 on the outskirts of Yatton then heading towards Kingston Seymour.

The route two corridor would go up the Strawberry Line from Puxton into Yatton and south of the North End roundabout before going out on to the Kenn Moor and then towards Nailsea.

The route two corridors would see the pylons – which would tower 153ft into the air – placed much closer to homes in the northern part of the village. A decision is expected later this spring.

YAP says if corridor two is chosen the appearance of the pylons would blight the Strawberry Line – which runs to Cheddar and is popular with walkers and cyclists – for generations to come. YAP founder Charlotte Deighton, was pleased with the number of people who joined in the spring walk, which saw people walk from Yatton to Congresbury and back along the Strawberry Line.

Mrs Deighton, a 36-year-old mother of three, said: "We were really pleased with the number of people who took part, especially as there were two other events going on in Yatton that morning."

"It wasn't just members from the Yatton group though, we also had people from Save Our Valley and also the Badgworth group in Somerset," she added.

"The theme of the walk was about celebrating the Strawberry Line and realising what is at stake.

"Whichever route is chosen will affect the Strawberry Line in some way and the Yatton group is against any overhead power line."

For more go to www.yattonagainstpylons.co.uk.

■ A TUNNEL on the Strawberry Line Heritage Trail at Winscombe has reopened following the completion of safety work.

The 180-metre long tunnel at Shute Shelve was closed in December after the very cold weather caused large icicles to form on the roof of the tunnel and fall on to the path.

It was reopened, but closed again in February, for health and safety reasons after a detailed examination revealed that urgent repairs to the roof were needed.

The constant flow through of water and the freezing and thawing of that water caused widespread areas of loose masonry.

A £30,000 scheme has now been completed by North Somerset Council, which involved re-pointing within the tunnel and the northern end and 75 metres of netting to be installed at the southern end to prevent debris falling onto the path.

The tunnel is an eight-mile trail providing easy level access for walkers, cyclists and wheelchair use.