A campaign by The Echo in Essex to stop a controversial housing development being built on a Basildon beauty spot is gathering momentum with more than 2,500 readers so far signing a petition to show their support.

The Echo launched its fight to Save Dry Street after learning the area was being primed for a mass development by the Government's regeneration agency, English Partnerships, which would include 1,300 homes.

And it has now reported that this could eventually swell to 2,500 homes, with a second estate built on 183 acres of green belt land nearby if the original plan goes ahead.

The Echo is following the story closely and encouraging more readers to sign its petition, which calls on English Partnerships to withdraw its redevelopment proposals and for Basildon Council to do all its can to stop the scheme going ahead.

One reader who has already signed the petition is taxi driver Martin Draycott, who is also taking a petition to work with him every day and encouraging his passengers to sign up.

He told the paper: "I reckon I can collect at least 20 signatures a day.

"As soon as I read about what they're planning I thought 'they can't do that!'

"It's a lovely bit of countryside that should be around forever.

"If they are allowed to start building on our beauty spots, where will it stop?"

The Echo says the Dry Street area has some 421 species of invertebrate, seven species of rare insects and a colony of brown–banded carder bees.