• MP Bridgen responded to weekend comments that costs could rose to £108bn

• He says we are 'feeding a monster which only gets bigger'

• Mr Bridgen believes London civil servants are deciding what is best for Midlands and the North

Ashby MP Andrew Bridgen says the HS2 project is a 'white elephant' that needs to be stopped.

Mr Bridgen made his comments in the wake of comments made by the deputy chair of its review panel at the weekend.

Lord Berkeley said high-speed rail line, which is due to pass through North West Leicestershire close to Ashby and Measham en route to Leeds, is likely to cost over £108bn.

And Mr Bridgen responded to those remarks on Twitter by saying: "With new Conservative MP's from the Midlands and the North opposed to HS2, I believe this is the best chance and probably the last chance to stop the White Elephant project.

"It's no good to keep feeding a monster it just gets bigger."

He added: "The White Elephant that is HS2 is what will always happen when you have civil servants based in London believing they know and deciding what is best for the Midlands and the North.

"The Midlands and the North need more control of our own infrastructure spending."

But the prospect of HS2 cutting through the countryside close to Ashby has already prompted one Lount business owner to voice her concerns.

Last month, Kelly Wheeler, owner of Field Sport UK, told Ashby Nub News that she is in dispute with HS2 over plans to the new railway line straight through her business site https://ashby.nub.news/n/ashby-company-in-row-with-hs2-after-plans-to-cut-through-lount-site