A legal challenge has been launched against a refusal to give permission for a controversial new opencast mine.

UK Coal is asking the High Court in London to overturn a public inquiry inspectors refusal to sanction the North-East project.

Opponents describe the application as desperate.

The company applied for permission to extract 556,000 tonnes of coal from the Bradley site, near Leadgate, near Consett.

Durham County Council initially rejected the proposal in February 2011 and its decision was upheld by the inspector after a public inquiry the following October/November.

Today (Wednesday, June 5) Timothy Corner QC, appearing for UK Coal, asked a deputy High Court judge to quash the inspectors decision on the grounds that it was ureasonable and perverse and he had misunderstood Government planning guidance.

Anti-mine campaigners gathered outside the court to urge that the planning veto be upheld.

Eleanor Baylis, a member of the Coal Action Network, accused UK Coal of not listening to the local community.

She said: "They have voiced their opposition from the start, and the local council agreed with them, and the inspectors report also agreed with them."

Another campaigner, Richard Marks, said: "We do not want a coal mine in this beautiful area."

The company hopes that if it wins the planning appeal it will have better luck before another another planning inspector at another public inquiry.