EMBATTLED villagers intend to turn up at a meeting next week to resist the erection of 60ft masts in their area.

National Wind Power is asking permission to erect up to three anemometers - which measure wind - as a first step to building a massive wind farm at Muston Down near Winterborne Kingston.

And planning chiefs at North Dorset are recommending approval of the proposed scheme.

But Jo Davies from Dorset Against Rural Turbines (Dart) - which is also opposing another proposed windfarm in Winterborne Zelston - intends to have her say.

"There are not really very many planning grounds where we can object to these masts and have them turned down," she said.

"But we will be present and Dart will be asking very explicitly for a very strong rider that an approval would create no precedent for any further planning applications.

"They (the masts) should also be looked at in conjunction with the nine turbines proposed for Zelston already before them and the cumulative effect of the two, or the whole place will be covered with these structures.

"If it's approval, the approval must be totally without prejudice."

She added: "We had a very animated parish council meeting. The hall was full of frustrations on the subject of the nine turbines.

"Feelings are running very, very high. The sadness is, it's driving a complete wedge between the community.

"I feel we have got a very large fight on our hands but the good thing is, because of the existence of Dart it is widening it to a county issue - it's got to be the biggest one that's happened in Dorset.

"If we can keep it well consulted, hopefully correct decisions will be made."

National Wind Power spokesperson Matt Partridge said his company fully understood that temporary permission for the masts in no way implied approval for any subsequent wind farm.

And he added that although Dart had concerns about it, nowhere in the country was to be "covered in turbines".

"Dorset clearly has a wind resource and the UK will be exploiting wind power more in the future," he added.

"Dorset will be expected to play its part."