A PEACEFUL protest is being organised to show opposition to controversial plans to dismantle mothballed ships that are crossing the Atlantic on their way to the North-East.

Environmentalists are being urged to join the demonstration outside Hartlepool Civic Centre when the agencies involved meet to outline their positions.

Councillors will decide whether they are to urge Secretary of State for transport Alistair Darling to have the ships turned around and sent back to the US.

A special meeting is to be held after a request from nine councillors for a chance to debate the authority's current stance on the issue.

The date is yet to be fixed but the first ships are expected to arrive on November 5.

Geoff Lilley, of Impact and the newly-formed Hartlepool Volunteer Defence Force, wants those opposed to the plan to show their feelings, at 11am on Friday.

He said: "When the strength of public opinion is clearly so strong that we don't want them regardless of the jobs they will create, we wonder what else we have to do before we are listened to.

"Councillors should remember that, come June next year, the people will know who has represented their views and opinions."

The protest will coincide with a day-long event in which organisations will explain their remit and responsibilities over the plan to scrap the four ex-US Navy ships at Graythorp Dock.

Members of the public will be able to question the agencies at the end of the sessions in the morning and afternoon.