CAMPAIGNERS cracked open the Champagne yesterday when they suddenly won their struggle to stop a wind farm being built in a Dorset valley.

After months of constant pressure from campaigners, Richard Drax, who owns a large estate in East Dorset, announced he would not proceed with the plan to install the giant turbines near Winterborne Kingston.

"We have examined the proposal by National Wind Power to site turbines on Muston Down and have decided not to proceed with the project," he said.

Tomorrow Dorset Against Rural Turbines was due to doorstep BBC television reporter Mr Drax on whose land most of the 23 giant turbines -each taller than Nelson's Column - were to have been sited.

But they broke out the bubbly instead when their work paid off in the dramatic turn-around.

Two mothers with autistic children, from Winterborne Muston and Anderson, spoke to the Daily Echo about the fears of what the low frequency noise from the turbines might do to their children's health.

And Bob Firth from Anderson said he could not sell his luxury home because of the proposed development.

Dart spokeswoman Jo Davies welcomed the news of Mr Drax's withdrawal but emphasised that an application for a smaller wind farm at Winterborne Zelston was still before planners.

"We do feel that this is a huge step forward to prevent the industrialisation of the Lower Winterborne valley," she said.

"It's only the first of two projects which we have to face up to."

Martin Marais for National Wind Power said: "We are very disappointed and I will need to speak to the rest of the project team who will obviously be very upset."

The Webber family, a second landowner, also announced that they would not be proceeding with NWP either.