CAMPAIGNERS against the Chineham incinerator have presented its operators with scientific evidence that, they say, shows a possible link between the burner and ash-like deposits found on cars in the area during February.

Chineham Parish Council commissioned the analysis of the substance as it was dissatisfied with the conclusions of the Environment Agency, which said it could not have been caused by the incinerator.

The agency said its examination showed the sample was a "non-combustion" material with particles that were too large to have been discharged from the incinerator stack.

However, concerned that the Environment Agency had not investigated the elemental composition of the sample, the parish council commissioned experts from a Reading University-based company to analyse a sample from the same source.

Chris Tomblin, Chineham parish councillor and chairman of the Basingstoke Burner Action Campaign, said that the sample contained mainly calcium, and some steel.

Mr Tomblin said that lime, a compound of calcium, is used in gas cleaning at the incinerator, and added: "It doesn't take half a brain cell to see that this is something which should not be dismissed."

He said that although the tests showed what the material was, they could not show where it came from, although he felt that on the balance of probabilities, it was linked to the incinerator.

He added: "I would now say to the operators, 'prove it isn't the incinerator'."

However, Cllr John Downes, borough councillor for Chineham and a member of the incinerator liaison panel, remains unconvinced.

He said: "I don't think the analysis was particularly conclusive, as human hair and building dust have calcium and lime in them."

He added: "I think this is guilt by association, which worries me."

John Collis, director of Hampshire Waste Services which runs the incinerator, said that, although he had seen charts relating to the analysis, he would not comment until he had seen the full report.