Dr Pulverash aka Save Radley Lakes supporter Michael Bloom yesterday handed over documents detailing the importance of the site to Oxfordshire County Council.

They were received by Tony Crabbe, the vice-chairman of the council's planning and regulation committee, which will decide whether power company RWE npower can fill Thrupp lake with ash from Didcot power station.

The 11 documents explain SRL's opposition to the scheme, on the basis of potential problems from pollution, flooding and destruction of wildlife habitats.

The campaigners claim wildlife, including some protected species, and rare plants will be sacrificed and the Thames flood plain damaged, causing flooding in the area and downstream towards Abingdon.

However, RWE npower says the pulverised fly ash from its boilers is not harmful to wildlife and there is no threat of flooding.

Yesterday was the deadline for objections to the plan to be lodged with the council. The planning committee will discuss RWE's application and the views of objectors at a meeting on Monday, May 22.

Last year, the power company proposed using the last two old gravel pits at Radley Thrupp and Bullfield but following a review and talks with the Environment Agency it said earlier this year that it only needed to use Thrupp lake.

But this move failed to impress Save Radley Lakes, whose members have kept up their campaign against the plan.

The Vale of White Horse District Council, Abingdon Town Council and Radley Parish Council are among dozens of other objectors.

RWE npower insists the ash is not noxious, because it has been used to fill other nearby gravel pits and wildlife has flourished. The company said that if it got consent to use Thrupp lake, it would restore it for wildlife once it was filled with ash.