Two new petitions with 7,500 signatures calling for a halt to quarrying near the Thornborough Henges have been handed to North Yorkshire County Council. Nearly 5,500 signed up from all over the world to an online petition organised by the Friends of Thornborough, while a conventional paper petition was signed by more than 2,000 people from across the county.
     John Lowry, chairman of The Friends of Thornborough, said the huge amount of opposition to quarrying around Thornborough Henges cannot be ignored. "The voice of both local people and international opinion is clear and unequivocal, and no amount of words by Tarmac can change that fact!" he said. "As long as this mining company retains ownership of Thornborough Moor and its gravel deposits, the spotlight of concerned world opinion will remained focused on North Yorkshire."
     But Tarmac estates manager, Bob Nicholson, claimed opponents had been mis-informed. "Much of the opposition to our planning application has been generated through the spreading of mis-information and one only has to look at the Friends of Thornborough website to see this, as it describes areas of Thornborough Moor adjacent to the Henges as 'proposed quarry' – when the application site is actually at Ladybridge Farm, more than half a mile away from the nearest henge." He added: "May we reiterate that the henges and the area around them are already scheduled protected monuments, there is absolutely no plan to quarry the henges, and the planning application is not for Thornborough Moor - the area around the henges."

Source: Nidderdale Today (24 June 2005)