Rugby Cement will be allowed to burn more tyres after successfully showing it reduces air pollution.

Environment watchdogs said that recent tyre-burning trials at the plant ’significantly reduced the amount of oxides of nitrogen’. Cemex, who own the plant in Lawford Road, has now been given permission to conduct further tyre trials up to a maximum rate of ten tonnes per hour.

The EA’s Environment Manager, David Hudson said: "This trial has shown that using waste to produce energy will have a lower environmental impact both in terms of air quality and by reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill."