The Echo in Essex is campaigning to stop radioactive warhead waste being dumped on Foulness Island.

Defence technology and security company Qinetiq, which runs the island, has been asked by the Atomic Weapons Establishment to start receiving contaminated warhead parts, but many locals are against the idea.

The Echo launched an online petition on its website, and MP James Duddridge, who jointly led the campaign, has now presented a petition signed by more than 800 people to Parliament.

The MP for Rochford and Southend East told the Echo: "I would like to thank everybody who has been involved in supporting this petition.

"There is still more work to do, but we've already come a long way since I read the Echo's initial reports."

The petition was launched after the Echo discovered the Atomic Weapons Establishment was seeking to renew its licence to send secret warhead waste contaminated with tritium to the island.

The petition stated: "The petition of the residents of Southend, Rochford, Great Wakering, Little Wakering, Barling and Foulness Island declares that the petitioners strongly object to the Atomic Weapons Establishment's proposal that Qinetiq dispose of radioactive waste on Ministry of Defence land at Foulness. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons calls upon the Government to do all within its power to prevent this disposal of radioactive waste on Foulness and ensure this does not occur at any time in the future."

For many years Foulness was controlled by the military, and the Ministry of Defence retains ownership of the island, but access is controlled through Qinetiq.