PLANS to drill for gas near rural homes will wreck idyllic countryside, furious homeowners fear.

Residents have launched a petition against proposals by Scottish company Composite Gas to bore for methane gas yards from their homes – and just 170 meters from the River Dee.

If it is granted permission locals fear their peace will be disrupted by 24-hour floodlit drilling operations.

An 18-metre high industrial drill rig would be built about 450 yards from their £400,000-£500,000 barn conversion properties.

The entire operation, which would be built on land about half the size of a football pitch, would last a year.

And if methane is found by the Aberdeen based company, it could scale up operations to produce it for the national gas grid for up to another 20 years.

But company bosses insist they work with local communities to minimise disruption and urged them to get in touch if they have concerns.

Viv Newtown, spokeswoman for the Residents Committee of The Stables, Rodens Hall Farm, near Isycoed, Wrexham, said: “We strongly object to this proposal.

“This is a pretty village and we all bought homes here because it is peaceful and we enjoy the rural setting.

“It is totally unacceptable to have a large scale industrial operation on our doorstep. It is completely out of keeping with the area. It would cause constant noise, heavy traffic on country lanes which are used by cyclists, horse riders and dog walkers.”

Isycoed Community Council has already submitted its objections. Protesters are also canvassing environmental groups for their opinions.

The process of extraction of coal-bed methane targets methane in coal under the soil, created by the decay of organic matter over time.

By releasing the pressure in the coal seams, drillers would capture the methane and pump it directly into the local gas network.

A Composite Gas spokesman said: “The company deals with a number of wells in the UK. They are efficient operations that take account of planning conditions and strive to run good neighbourly operations.

“If there are people who have concerns then we would urge them to get in touch with the company who would be more than happy to talk to them.”

Wrexham County Borough Council planners will discuss the proposals at a later date.