Middlewich residents will be taking to the streets on Saturday to protest against Cheshire East's 'neglect' of their town.

Nearly 2,000 people have signed a petition saying their wishes have been ignored for years and the town is suffering and deteriorating.

Protest organiser Laura Turner told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "We want equality, to be treated fairly against other Cheshire East towns and have all our issues resolved as soon as possible.

"I am hoping for 100 people at the Saturday event."

The protesters are demanding to know why there has been little or no infrastructure improvements in the town to support new housing developments.

They want to know how section 106 money – a contribution a developer makes towards local services such as education or the NHS – has been spent.

There is anger over the smells and traffic from the Ansa depot on Cledford Lane.

Poor air quality has long been an issue among residents in the town.

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Other concerns include poorly maintained roads and axing of some gritting routes.

Frustrations have also grown about the state of the cemetery – although this is not run by Cheshire East but the Middlewich Cemetery Board.

And for years the town has been asking for a swimming pool.

Laura told the first residents' meeting in September: "Of 11 local towns, nine have got public pools, so that's Congleton, Sandbach, all our Cheshire East towns.

"Holmes Chapel has got a private one at Cranage Hall, and Middlewich – we've got nothing. How on earth is that fair?"

Last month she emailed Cheshire East Council warning protesters may go ahead with plans to withhold council tax payments – an idea they only initially toyed with at the meeting attended by about 70 people in September.

"A mass revolt may be on the cards if this behaviour continues," she said in the email to the council.

"We have nearly 2,000 signatures already [on petition] and if all those people stop paying you are looking at approximately £2.8m stall in council tax income."

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The peaceful protest will take place at Middlewich Cenotaph on Saturday (November 13).