PROTESTERS against a takeaway shop in a quiet residential area have accused Halton Council of healthy living hypocrisy.

They say the borough is already saturated with fast food outlets - at least 90 for a population of 118,000 - and are craving answers as to how this fits with the healthy eating message being rammed down their throats.

"I just don't understand how you can have both," says Mike Highton, a teacher from Ashbourne Avenue, who is concerned about plans to open a take-away close to his home.

"I'm a teacher and we're encouraged to push the healthy living message to pupils yet the council is about to let another fast food place spring up.

"I'm not against someone making a living but one department is spending money telling us what we should and shouldn't be eating and another is considering fast food applications.

"This seems to be a totally conflicting message."

Mr Highton, 44, also says not enough residents have been told about an application to turn the card shop into an Indian take-away.

"Only about 24 households seem to know on an estate of 700-1,000 people," he says. "These might not be 'immediate houses' but a lot more people get affected if things like late night noise and litter increase."

Another resident, Sandra Brown, 51, expressed her amazement at the number of fast food outlets already in Halton - one for every 1,300 people.

"We understand people are trying to make a living but there's already enough to feed the whole of Runcorn ten times over. We don't want a late-night shop on a residential estate."

The owner of Occasions card shop, John Quayyum, who also runs Ascot Stores, says residents have nothing to worry about.

"I'm selling it subject to change of use because the demand for videos and DVDs isn't there anymore," he says.

"But the person I'm selling to wants to make it a specialised hot food takeaway not a cheap burger joint.

"People are entitled to their opinions but I've been here 17 years and I can't see the problems people are worried about happening."