A DIRE warning of the consequences of fracking in the Forest of Dean has come from retired mines surveyor and local government officer Paul Morgan.

Mr Morgan, 84, of Coombs Road, Coleford, was the last surveyor to work at Northern United. In a long career which began at Waterloo Colliery in 1948 he is the last remaining engineer with a working knowledge of the entire Forest coalfield.

He says he is highly fearful that fracking could result in gross pollution of local water sources as well as leading to subsidence in many places, including the Northern Quarter development proposed for the outskirts of Cinderford.

Mr Morgan said he had become seriously alarmed by the proposals.

Urging council leaders and the MP to call a temporary halt to any exploration work, he said: “I believe any attempt to even investigate the possibilities of gas in or below the Forest of Dean coal-field would result in contamination and pollution of the area’s water supply.

“Severn Trent, as a statutory authority, has the power to obtain a legal injunction stopping any such activity.”

Mr Morgan says MP Mark Harper should also act decisively and call for a halt to any fracking until a full technical and mining investigation was completed and the result made public.

“Regardless of the pros and cons of the Northern Quarter development, it has to be appreciated that any work carried out affecting the water table could have huge consequences.

“I have repeatedly stated that as long as the very high water pressure remains under the Northern Quarter there is little likelihood of subsidence but once this is removed there would be no knowing what would happen.”

In a letter to the Forest of Dean district council’s planning officer, he adds: “It will readily be seen that you and the district and county councils urgently need to oppose and ban all fracking within the Forest of Dean in the interest of safety, particularly with children entering the Northern Quarter site, and suspend any building activity until such time as the future of fracking is known. The dangers are far too great and it would be political and professional suicide and certainly not common sense not to take such action.”

Mr Morgan said that in his opinion it would be necessary to drain the mines of water before exploration could take place — an impossible task, he thought. However, any tinkering with the system could easily upset the natural and established water balance leading to both pollution and flooding with Lydney, Blakeney and Lydbrook under threat.

He warned: “This is not a case of ‘suck it and see’. If it gets to this stage it is far too late.”