An explosion at a waste handling depot at Sandhurst has prompted the Gloucester Citizen to lead a campaign for a public inquiry into the site.

A public meeting into the Cleansing Service Group depot revealed it has held BSE-infected waste since 1995 without the knowledge of the Environment Agency.

The Citizen is backing calls for villagers to send 1,000 letters calling for Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to launch an inquiry.

The local vicar, Rev John O’Brien, told the paper: “It has taken this disaster, and the stock-taking exercise since the disaster by the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency, to bring things to light.

“In my opinion that in itself should be grounds for a public inquiry.”

He added that if the prevailing winds had been in a different direction on the night of the explosion and fire, a fortnight ago, the disaster could have been more serious.

The Citizen itself is asking questions about the plant and the BSE-infected waste.

It said: “Why didn’t the Agency know? Is the company obliged to tell the Agency what it is handling at Sandhurst? If not, why not?

“The big question now for villagers, and residents of neighbouring communities, is what else has CSG hidden away?”

The paper is also asking if the company’s assertion that drums of waste are “as safe as possible” means they are safe, or unsafe.

The Citizen has published a form for protesters to fill in and return to its offices to send on to John Prescott.

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