CONTROVERSIAL plans to store millions of tonnes of gas under the River Wyre clearly flout European law, protesters say.

Campaigners fighting American energy giant Canatxx's plans to store gas in caverns opposite Stanah are being backed by politician Ben Wallace, who claims the plan breaches an EU directive.

The Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Lancaster and Wyre has thrown his full weight behind campaigners, saying: "For safety and environmental reason this project must be stopped.

"Neither the Deputy Prime Minister nor the company must be allowed to ride rough shod over environmental protection."

He said he has met with government advisers and EU officials about the plans and that he will press the county council -- which will make the decision on the application -- and the office of the deputy prime minister to 'enforce in full Article 6 of the Habitats Directive'.

The directive limits developments in Special Protection Areas (SPAs) such as parts of the Wyre Estuary.

"I shall make sure that the EU Commission, which acts as monitor of SPAs, is well aware of what is going on," he added.

And he said he fully backed Protect Wyre Group -- an umbrella organisation for pressure groups, such as Thornton Action Group, which have banded together to fight the plans.

The area's MP, Hilton Dawson, has also attacked Canatxx for refusing to publicly discuss their plans.

On Monday (January 19) he sent a stinging letter to John Smith, the company's development director, telling him: "I have to say that in politics a refusal to discuss a serious matter with the public is usually taken to be a sign of ineptitude, an arrogant disdain for the feelings and views of the public and a sure sign that one has something to hide."

He met with Canatxx representatives based locally at Thornton for 'constructive discussions' but they have since told him that their bosses in Texas don't support representatives going to public meetings, he said.

The MP has told Canatxx he intends to raise 'serious questions' in Parliament about the safety of the plans and the company's ability to 'operate in an appropriate manner'.

Many of his constituents are worried about the risk of an explosion, he said. Canatxx wants to store up to two million tonnes of gas under the Wyre, within three miles of around 40,000 homes in Over Wyre, Thornton and Fleetwood.