Consultations and exhibitions for wind farms by German developer Prowind at Bishop Wood Farm near Thorpe Willoughby and Wood Lane near Gateforth have been given the thumbs-down by locals.

Angry Thorpe Willoughby resident Geoff Gordon said he was unconvinced the proposals, backed by the UK's North Energy, were the answer to the government's sustainable energy policy.

He said: "If plans for these 125-metre masts went ahead, they could be seen for miles around. It may be Nimbyism, but I think these things are ugly in any landscape.

"People wouldn't want to buy houses in these areas if they went up, and it would devalue existing homes.

"In addition, this is a foreign company that would be subsidised in these projects by our government, even though they're only interested in making a profit."

Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Selby and Ainsty Nigel Adams supported the drive for renewable energy, but warned against a landscape littered with windmills.

And those sentiments were echoed by Selby District Council leader Coun Mark Crane, who said he supported a green energy strategy, but didn't want to see the district swamped by wind farms.

But Selby MP John Grogan disagreed, and said: "Selby has a long history of power generation. We can't turn our backs on the fact global warming is happening.

"I think in the next few years there will be a number of wind farms in Selby. However, some will be refused, but people differ in their perceptions as to whether they enhance the landscape or not."