THE Ministry of Defence yesterday rubbished claims that US interceptor missiles could be based in the region.

The Green Party has alleged that North Yorkshire is a strong candidate to house the "Son of Star Wars" missile defence system.

Leslie Rowe, who was the Richmond candidate for the party at the last General Election, said Pentagon chiefs admitted the UK would be a possible location for the interceptors in Europe.

Mr Rowe said if that happened, it was likely the missiles would be based near the early warning radar system at RAF Fylingdales, on the North York Moors.

He said one candidate for the base was RAF Leeming, near Bedale, and added: "A new missile base would only increase further the likelihood of North Yorkshire being a target for terrorists.

"Added to Fylingdales, and the rapid development of Catterick Camp and other establishments into the largest British Army base in the world, this war-mongering Labour government is further increasing the danger to North Yorkshire residents."

Last night, the Ministry of Defence quickly moved to dismiss the claims.

A spokesman said: "The US has not yet decided if they need to base interceptor missiles in Europe. Therefore, it has not asked us if it can site the missiles in this country."

The MoD said there were numerous reasons why the missiles would never be stationed near the radar equipment at Fylingdales.

There has been widespread opposition to the missile defence programme, intended to enable the US to shoot down incoming ballistic missiles launched against them.

The programme was nicknamed Son of Star Wars after the original Strategic Defence Initiative, known as Star Wars, outlined by US President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s.