Nuclear protestors are planning to turn a two bases in North Yorkshire into the next Greenham Common.

Sylvia Boyes, pictured, of Keighley, and Annie Rainbow, of Otley, are among those involved in a campaign to stop American radar stations at Menwith Hill and Fylingdales from being used as part of US President George Bush's Star Wars missile defence programme.

The British Government insists it has not as yet received any plans for the stations to be used as part of the defence system, but the protestors say they are determined to step up their campaign.

Mrs Boyes, 57, part of the Trident Ploughshares anti-nuclear group, went with other protestors to Fylingdales last Monday, but could not get on to the site because it was based in a national park and had been placed out of bounds since the foot and mouth outbreak.

She said: "The only response we get from the Government is that it has not been made a formal issue as yet. Our campaign will take lots of different forms but foot and mouth isn't helping. As soon as that is over things will begin to happen."

She added: "While most people hope Britain will see sense, I have a horrible feeling that with the way the military complex works it will be difficult to stop. But Yorkshire CND has an on-going campaign against the site and I have no doubt this will be stepped up as time goes on."

Miss Rainbow, co-co-ordinator of the Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases, said: "We're running a workshop during the Keep Space for Peace conference, which is being hosted by Yorkshire CND, in Leeds, on May 5 and 6. We're also preparing for our annual Independence from America Day demonstration outside the Menwith Hill base, on July 4, when hopefully people will come along and make their feelings known peacefully.''

The curvature of the Earth means that the radar stations at Menwith Hill, near Harrogate, and Fylingdales, on the North York Moors, would be ideally suited to spot rockets from Russia, China or the Middle East, adding to the belief that they may be called into use by President Bush.

Mrs Boyes sprung to prominence during a case at Manchester Crown Court in January when, along with co-defendant River, she was found not guilty of conspiring to commit criminal damage against a Trident submarine.