Major Newcastle Meeting Against Mournes National Park

More than a thousand people have attended an event opposed to national park proposals for the Mourne mountains.

The public meeting in the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle considered environment minister Alex Attwood's proposals to make the Mournes area one of two new national parks in Northern Ireland.

All other parts of the UK have national parks, as does the Republic of Ireland.

And Mr Attwood has named the Mournes as one of the top three contenders for the added protection, along with the Causeway coast and Antrim glens, and the Fermanagh Lakelands.

Jason Rankin of the Ulster Farmers' Union said: "Farmers are here from all over Northern Ireland who are passionately opposed to these proposals.

"Farmers in England are restricted in so many ways which we can ill afford at a time when we're looking to the agri-food industry to take us out of recession in Northern Ireland."

The Mourne Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty residents group is also opposed to the national park plans.

Valerie Hanna of the group said: "Large companies do not locate to national parks.

"House prices rise and rates will rise too because people look at national parks as a status symbol where they can buy a second home."

(NE)