CONTROVERSIAL plans to put a chalk white horse on Cheriton Hill, near Folkestone, are still a major taling point in the area - despite the fact the Government has now given the project the go-ahead.

At a meeting of Shepway's full council the horse design which Lympne artist Charles Newington hopes to start within the next few weeks, was called "graffiti".

Cllr Anthony Baker, Lib Dem,said: "We should not accept the ruling, just because it has been handed down from above. To me the white horse represents graffiti on a wonderful hillside. It wouldn't be allowed on Snowdon or Ben Nevis."

Mr Newington and Ashford farmer Richard Beaugie are eager to start work on the horse, but are waiting to see if English Nature will appeal against the decision to allow the outline. The Government body has until early May to make an appeal - and to date has refused to indicate what it will do.

Earlier at the council meeting the leader of Shepway council Rory Love has spoken in favour of the horse. He noted it as one of the council's successes over the past year.

He said: "We are looking at further ways we could exploit this image and how we can maximise on this. It's construction will cost tax-payers nothing. It has already attracted interest from the national press."

However, Cllr Linda Cufley said that although taxpayers didn't have to fork out for the horse to be built, it had cost them in terms of Shepway District Council fighting for the project at a public inquiry staged last year.

Supporters of the horse included the late Spike Milligan and actress Joanna Lumley. Shepway council wanted the horse and gave it planning permission, but the plans were called in when the Government advisory body English Nature objected. They argued the project would lead to damage to flora and fauna on the Site of Special Scientific Interest which attracts orchids and rare butterflies.