RATS           Notable Events.

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Over the past 11 years RATS have gone through tremendous growing pains, some of them have been our own doing, but many many others have been caused by other organisations, many of them you would believe were there to help rather than  working to their own agendas.

you will find some of the highs and lows on this page, of events that have helped develop/forge RATS into the strong and cohesive community it is today.

Enjoy this trip down memory lane.

Mass Demonstration and Sit In

At the Public Inquiry at Wakefield Town Hall by the communities affected by the Wakefield Toxic Tip. 12 th August 1997.

If you have any photographs of this day at the public inquiry at Wakefield town Hall. we would like to see the and possibly put them on this page.

The On line magazine Sch News on 15 August 1997 has the following article at

SCH news. Click on Toxic Tip link on their front page.

"STOP PRESS At the latest inquiry on 12th August, 1000 people brought traffic to a standstill outside Wakefield town hall for 2 hours. The inspector, couldn't understand the case, and adjourned it! R.A.T.S. need your support! Ring them on 01924 893564."

Mass demonstration.

And siege held at the official entrance to the Welbeck Toxic Tip. 28th October 1999.

An article by the Wakefield Express on Friday 20th October 199 said:-

Siege of Welbeck.

HUNDREDS of residents gathered at a controversial "toxic" tip in Wakefield to protest against illegal dumping of what 'they say is poisonous waste. Residents from all-over the city joined, campaigning group RATS - Residents Against Toxic Scheme - outside the Welbeck giant landfill tip at Normanton on Monday in a bid to turn away rubbish-laden lorries from the site.

Residents linked arms to form a barrier across the entrance to the site - but were forced to leap to safety when a lorry driver forced his way through. Police later cautioned him.

Dad Julian Stevenson, 34, arrived with his son wearing a gas mask. Mr Stevenson, of Cherry Tree in Walton, who used to work at a chemical plant, was concerned about the levels of cyanide in the tip. He said: "So far I have never seen any physical proof of how they deal wife it here - we need proper reassurances." 

The tip normally takes up to 300 waste carrying lorries every day but council chiefs said they suspended deliveries to the site to cause the least disruption to household collections.

Some bin lorries had to make a 40-mile round trip to tips as far away as Doncaster,

If you know of any press articles or photographs to support this story, and are able to pass them onto RATS, we would like to see them and we may be able to use them on this site.

New Health Scare at Tip 

Wakefield Express 29 December 2000.

And In The Welbeck Corner.

Wakefield Express 14 September 2000.

It Would Be Nice To Shoot 'Dainton' Down.

Wakefield Express 30 March 2001.

Crusher Plans Withdrawn.

Wakefield Express 13 November 2001.

Protest March, Mass Trespass.

And a walk, through the Newland Hall estate, in protest at the development of a Toxic Tip by by developer John Horrocks. March 2002.

Delight As Incinerator plan Is Axed.

Wakefield Express 29 November 2003.

A Sense Of Relief.

Toxic Tip Protesters Claim Another Victory.

Passive protest at Environment Agency Board Meeting, at the Earth Center - Doncaster.

Fire At Tip Sparks Fears.

Wakefield Express 30 November 2006.

Stench Settles.

Wakefield Express 30 November 2006.