Lancashire beauty spots could be scarred by a chain of giant pylons being planned to transfer electricity from a new generation of low carbon power plants.

Energy bosses say high-voltage cables are needed by 2020 to connect nuclear power stations, such as Sellafield and Heysham, and new windfarms to the national grid.

Now residents, environmental pressure groups and community leaders in the Ribble Valley have been urged to unite to fight the plans, which could see 165-foot high-voltage transmission lines passing through a strip of the most beautiful countryside in the area.

Opponents believe the route could pass through the Hodder and Ribble Valleys, from Quernmore through the Trough of Bowland, Dunsop Bridge, Whitewell, Cow Ark, Bashall Eaves, Great Mitton, Whalley, Billington, Read and Padiham.

Ken Hind, senior vice-chairman of Ribble Valley Conservatives said: “If these pylons are built this will be environmental vandalism, a large ugly slash through some of the areas of outstanding natural beauty in Lancashire.”

He urged members of the community including local MPs and council leaders and pressure groups such as the Ramblers Association and the National Farmers Union to protect the ‘green and rural character of our area'.

A spokesman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change said that many of Britain’s power stations were nearing the end of their lives.

"We will need new infrastructure in the coming years if we want to keep the lights on and cut our carbon emissions,” he said.

Jeanette Unsworth, National Grid spokesperson, confirmed it had been asked to provide connections to a number of new generators in Cumbria and Lancashire.

But she said it was too early to say where and how the new infrastructure would be routed.

“New infrastructure is likely to involve overhead transmission power lines, underground cables and new substations,” she said.

The company is now studying technical and environmental information to assess how connections might be built, prior to a public consultation later this year.

Councillor Hind added: “We should make representations to press for these cables to be buried underground.

“The extra cost is justified in protecting the Ribble Valley and it’s beautiful scenery.”

When considering the positioning of power pylons, guidelines known as the Holford Rules, which were first drawn up in 1959, are considered by planning inspectors.

They state that overhead lines should “avoid altogether, if possible, major areas of highest amenity value.”

The Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) considers all applications but a spokesman said as of yet, no organisation had applied to undertake such a project in Cumbria or Lancashire.

National Grid officials could seek planning permission to build new infrastructure within three years.