15 June 2011 Last updated at 10:19 ET

The Wire star Dominic West backs Foston pig farm protest

The Wire actor was raised in the area

A TV and film actor has backed campaigners opposed to a large scale pig farm in Derbyshire.

Dominic West, who starred in US crime drama The Wire, said the facility near Foston would wreck the area, where he grew up.

He believed protesters needed support to fight the interests of big business.

Midlands Pigs Producers (MPP) said the premises would have 2,500 sows and 20,000 piglets and observe the highest welfare standards.

Mr West, who had roles in films such as 300 and Centurion, said: "My uncle was a small-scale pig farmer of the sort that would be put out of business by huge factory farms like this.

"I became interested in this through a film called Pig Business about the vast factory farms in eastern Europe, so I was quite concerned it was coming here to Derbyshire."

Biogas plan

He added: "The protesters here are up against a very big business that is interested in not just pig farming but all sorts of money making ventures.

"So I hope to raise awareness of what is going on and create a bigger amount of support for the locals whose lives are going to be ruined by this."

MPP produces more than 100,000 pigs each year. It controls 30 farms in eight counties and employs more than 150 people.

A spokesman said they welcomed debate on the project but pointed out there was already a unit in the UK containing 3,500 sows.

The site would also use biogas from the slurry to produce electricity.

South Derbyshire District Council handed over duties for dealing with the application to the county council because of its waste implications.

The county council confirmed it had received the application but that no date had been set for it to be considered.