by Angela Cole

acole@thekmgroup.co.uk

The sun shone on Bearsted Green as hundreds of villagers came out to celebrate the end of their fight to save their countryside.

Campaigners from StopKIG hung out the bunting and held a truly English party on the Green today (Saturday, September 18).

The party date was chosen as it was two days after the deadline for AXA, which funded the KIG rail freight depot plan, to appeal against the government's decision to reject the plans.

Locals formed a very orderly queue for slices of a massive KIG cake baked especially for the day.

Among those soaking up the sun was Faversham and Mid Kent MP Hugh Robertson (Con), who said: "It is diffciult to work out when you lookn around why this could possibly be the right site for a rail freight depot. It is quintessentially English. This is a celebration and a hearty sigh of relief too."

Also there was KIG local legend Roy Carey, in his StopKIG t-shirt with "We won" on the back.

He said: "We had a long battle; an unnecessary battle. It is absolutely incredible that we have won - I, like everybody else, am absolutely elated.

"We had a lot of disbelievers, but we had a lot more believers."

Organisers put the turnout at at least 1,000 people.