An action group of protesters has formed in a bid to stop a waste incinerator from being built on their doorsteps.

Organiser Roger Rance, of Churchmere Lane, Sutton Courtenay, is rallying opposition to the incinerator in the village and has gathered a petition of 200 signatures.

The petition was presented this week to Oxfordshire County Council, which is planning the £100m waste disposal site.

The Waste Recycling Group (WRG), which owns the Sutton Courtenay landfill site, put in an application for the incinerator last month.

Mr Rance, who has lived in the village for 17 years, said: "The terrible thing about it is that the village and the residents were not given notification of the incinerator until only a few months ago, so there has been no real action. We want the action group to bring it to the attention of more people."

Spanish-owned WRG is vying for the incinerator contract with Viridor, which runs the other major landfill site in Oxfordshire at Ardley, near Bicester.

WRG plans include an incinerator capable of burning at least 300,000 tonnes of waste a year, a bottom ash recycling plant, air pollution control and buildings for offices and visitors.

Hundreds of fluorescent posters with the message 'No Incinerator' have been displayed around the village.

Mr Rance said: "This is not just a Sutton Courtenay problem, the prevailing wind blows on the Wittenhams, Appleford and right out to Thame. And the people in Abingdon do not even know about it.

"I do not consider this to be a Sutton Courtenay problem, an Oxfordshire problem — it is a national problem."

Mr Rance, 68, said villagers were concerned with the amount of pollution that the incinerator would bring.

He said: "I am no nimby, I am not a tree-hugger, but I am very concerned for the nation.

"It really is about all the traffic to bring the stuff in when it's already on trucks and could go to the little, local mechanical digesters."

The county council will undertake its own period of consultation before making a final decision on the bid early next year.

Sutton Courtenay Parish Council will hold a meeting to present the plans to the village next Monday, in All Saints church from 7.30pm.

The Sutton Courtenay Action Group meets every Friday evening at 7.30pm in the Abbey.

County council spokesman Paul Smith said: "Objections are all part of the planning process and we will consider them, alongside all the other information that needs to be considered as part of a planning application."