A REDUNDANT cement works could be turned into a slaughterhouse if plans to create a farmers' co-operative come to fruition.

People living in Weardale have already said that redevelopment of the former Blue Circle cement works in Eastgate is the key to future prosperity in the area.

Michael Dent, who lost his job when Lafarge UK made the shock announcement to close the site earlier this year, has called on farmers to rally round and fight for the future of the dale.

Mr Dent, 44, who has lived in Frosterley all his life, is holding a meeting tonight in Stanhope Village Hall, at 7pm, to discuss future prospects and aspirations for the site.

He is looking to transform the works into a non-profit- making slaughterhouse and meat processing factory operated by farmers.

He said: "I have called a meeting for all the farming community. I did a farm survey with 50 farms in Weardale and I have got every single survey back. All of them support the proposal.''

Mr Dent said that old buildings on the site would be ideal to house the venture.

At tonight's meeting, he is hoping to get farmers to commit to the idea by helping him come up with a plan to make it work.

He said: "I have gone as far as I can with the idea on my own. I want this to be a non-profit-making company, which would mean all the profits would be ploughed into the community, giving farmers a better price for their livestock. I have lots of ideas. This is the embryo and I want it to grow and grow.

"There are a lot of grants to apply for and trust funds, and if it is community-based we can apply to Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) for funding.''

But Mr Dent said the idea still needed a lot of work and depended on whether the co-operative would be able to obtain the site.

He said: "There are a lot of people coming up with ideas for the future use of the cement works. All we have left in Weardale is agriculture and it would be better to utilise that and concentrate on what we do best."