‘Harry Potter’ actor hits back at English Heritage over battlefield plans

London: Veteran actor Robert Hardy, who is heading the campaign to save the site of Battle at Shrewsbury, has attacked English Heritage for its plan to see a 213-feet-incinerator built at the site.

The site is one of English history``s bloodiest battles that took place on July 21, 1403 and reputedly saw the deaths of as many as 6,000 men in just three hours. The 85-year-old actor who plays Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, in the ‘Harry Potter’ films is a member of English Heritage``s own panel that advises on how to preserve battlefields. However, he has threatened to resign if the organisation continues to approve the scheme. “As long as they stick to their renegment, I remain opposed to them. I am doing whatever I can to stop the development. I have tried to make lots of noise about this blasted chimney,” the Telegraph quoted him as saying. He has been lobbying Simon Thurley, English Heritage``s chief executive, to reverse its policy again. In a letter threatening to resign he accused the organisation of “abrogating” its responsibilities in making the “wrong decision”. “It is my business to defend the battlefield. It is where thousands of people out of divided but strong loyalties or compulsion, came together to test their arguments to the death,” the actor said. “These are sacred burial places. We should honour those fields. The date of the battle doesn``t make any difference,” he added. ANI