Campaigners fighting what they said could have been the second largest landfill and quarry site in Europe have been told two thirds of the proposed site have now been axed from the plans.

Campaigners fighting what they said could have been the second largest landfill and quarry site in Europe have been told two thirds of the proposed site have now been axed from the plans.

A fierce battle was launched last year in villages in mid-Norfolk when swathes of land there were put forward for inclusion in a long term plan by Norfolk County Council on where and how many landfill and quarry sites there should be.

Three proposed sites close together at Bintree, near Dereham, would have added up to create 1.7sq miles of quarry and landfill, campaigners said.

But now quarries Enstonne Johnstone has pulled out of two of the sites.

However, the third, a woodland owned and put forward by the Forestry Commission, is still one of hundreds of sites across the county being looked at by the county council for potential inclusion in their minerals and waste plan.

Chris Langford, a leading campaigner against the proposed quarry at Bintree, said: 'Unfortunately the Forestry Commission has not done the same.

'If they plan to go ahead Bintree Woods could still be destroyed and turned into a waste landfill site. So the fight to save this beautiful piece of Norfolk goes on.'

Ennstone was asked by the EDP why it had pulled out but by last night there had been no response.

A consultation on all the proposed quarry and mineral sites was held early last year and results of which of these would go forward to be part of the plan was due to be published the following August.

However, it has been delayed by months, partially because of the thousands of people who responded to the consultation, but also because of changes to rules on how councils consult.

The county council has to plan to provide enough sand and gravel and carrstone for building projects up to 2021 and landfill sites for waste for the same period.

More than 100 gravel extraction and 64 landfill proposals were put forward, more than 14 have since been withdrawn.

It has also been consulting on a broad strategy on where the sites should be This is due to be consulted on in January before being sent for approval by the secretary of state.