The group was formed earlier this year when it was revealed Health Minister Edwin Poots is considering adding fluoride to the water in a bid to curb the rate of tooth decay in young people.

At the time The DUP MLA said the public should be ashamed of their dental hygiene.

“We’ve failed miserably,” he said, before adding that children were being allowed far too much sugary food and drink from a very early age – in some cases before the age of one year.

However Patricia Gillespie who is against the fluoride proposals says that fluoride is highly toxic and people need to be aware. “This means the highly toxic substance hydrofluorosilicic acid will be added to your drinking water,” she said.

She continued: “Hydrofluorosilicic is a waste product of the phosphate fertiliser and aluminium industries and due to the process used to obtain it, it will always contain other toxic elements. Because it is put into the water supply and is also in the food chain, there is no way of measuring how much each individual consumes and anyone at any time could be ingesting extremely dangerous levels.”

She added: “On every level possible, this proposed scheme is utter madness. It is financially irresponsible and ethically repugnant.”

Patricia said that farmers have also shown their opposition to fluoridation. She said: “Considering 98% of Europe has banned this outdated practice, no EU country would want to buy our dairy and meat products if they have been consuming fluoridated water. Also in 1996, 25 out of 26 local councils here voted against the then proposal to fluoridate Northern Ireland and Mr Paisley was totally against it.”

For more information on the campaign please visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/NIflouridefree/