Residents staged a protest demanding "clean air" following the large fire at Kronospan in Chirk.

Demonstrators gathered on Friday to make their feelings known about three fires at the factory in as many years.

Firefighters were at the Holyhead Road site for four days after it sparked in the early hours of January 13, causing nearby school Ysgol Y Waun to keep its pupils inside on January 15 and 16.

Friday evening saw dozens of protestors - many of them children - demanding clean air for their community.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes held a surgery in Chirk on Saturday to hear and address the concerns of its residents.

He later said: "There is huge concern locally about the recent fire at Kronospan and how it started so it is vital that an open and transparent investigation is conducted into the causes of the fire and that the full findings of the report are made available to the public.

"Residents of Chirk and the surrounding area also spoke on Saturday about their ongoing concerns about air quality and noise levels from the factory and these issues need to be addressed urgently by Kronospan by independent monitoring.

"I am working with Chirk Town Council and Wrexham Council and look forward to these matters being progressed with Kronospan.”

The Leader:

Kronospan admits "sincere regret" over the fire and its impact on Chirk's residents, and says it needs to "take stock" of the situation over the coming days.

Plaid Cymru’s North Wales AM, Llyr Gruffydd, has called for an independent inquiry into the fire.

He said: “The plant's chairman Mike McKenna conceded in last Thursday’s town council meeting that there had been three separate fires within the past three years, all in different parts of the plant.

“Despite numerous fires and the concerns of local residents, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) only brought in mobile air quality monitoring equipment on January 15 and the town council heard that Formaldehyde had been detected in initial samples.

“Reports of children and a pregnant woman being hospitalised because of breathing difficulties are also very worrying and I would like clarity on that from the agencies involved.

"Providing real reassurance for the community would also be the best way to safeguard the hundreds of jobs at the plant and the impact the plant has on the local economy.

“NRW and Wrexham Council are responsible for monitoring the plant and they, along with other agencies, confirmed that wood smoke alone can cause health problems. This is causing air pollution in the surrounding areas and rightly a cause of great concern for the health of vulnerable people, including children, the elderly and people with respiratory problems."

Wrexham Council says it is working on a multi agency basis with police, the fire service, Natural Resources Wales and Public Health Wales in relation to the fire.

A Kronospan spokesman said: “Firstly Kronospan express its sincere regret for the fact that this fire has occurred and for the impact that it has had on those residents who have been affected by the smoke that it created.

"Clearly we wanted to bring the incident to a close as quickly as possible, with minimum impact on the community. Whilst we have dealt directly with a number of residents over the last few days, we need to take stock of the impact that it has had on them, and will be doing this over the next few days.”