A Derbyshire alpaca farmer fears she might have to sell up to make way for electricity pylons. The National Grid has proposed 37 miles (60km) of overhead lines through the Amber Valley to create electricity to power six million homes. Sarah McRow, from Mount Pleasant Farm, which trades as Brackenfield Alpacas, near Alfreton, said her land runs through the preferred route corridor and claims it would destroy her business if approved.
The National Grid said the proposals were in the early stages. The planned route is yet to be finalised, but the pylons could be placed on the 17-acre (seven-hectare) farm, which has 40 alpacas, it is feared. Ms McRow said: "It was devastating when the letter from the National Grid came in May.
"We were just incredulous - how anyone can even consider putting pylons in such a beautiful valley like this? "We could lose our home, our business, everything." She added: "We will be living in limbo, not knowing what is going to happen, which, from our point of view, is actually quite devastating in itself." A campaign called Save Amber Valley Environment (SAVE) has been set up by residents.
Ms McRow said she was asking everyone who had come for a trek at Brackenfield Alpacas to fill in objection forms. Amanda Paget, Amber Valley Borough councillor for Smalley, Shipley and Horsley Woodhouse, said she was working with campaign groups. She added they were calling for the pylons to run down the M1, or to have the whole route underground, or put the scheme of.