New wildlife found at airport site

AT least 7,000 people demonstrated in Nantes on Saturday as part of a long-running campaign to stop an airport being built on a piece of wetland rich in wildlife.

Naturalists say they have discovered five new species living in the bocage nantais around Notre-Dame-des-Landes, including a rare type of newt, shrew and three types of plant not previously seen there.

They have written to the environment ministry saying the latest discovery is another reason why the airport works should be halted.

The airport project has been hit by repeated delays for 40 years because of a strong local campaign to preserve the natural environment. About a dozen rare species are known to live in the area, including bats and kingfishers.

Police said 7,200 people took part in this weekend's protest, some in tractors, which blocked the périphérique ring-road in Nantes. Organisers put the turnout figure at closer to 20,000.

The march comes ahead of a court ruling on Wednesday concerning 11 families and four farmers who are refusing to be expelled from their properties to make way for the building work.