The name that never seems to end starts here...

People in Llanfynydd in Carmarthenshire are changing signs to read Llanhyfryddawelllehyn-afolybarcudprindanfygy-thiadtrienusyrhafnauole.

It means "a quiet beautiful village, an historic place with rare kite under threat from wretched blades".

It beats the current longest place name, Llanfair PG (the short version), on Anglesey by eight characters.

If our community is to be overshadowed it might as well change its name and its identity Meirion Rees

Gamesa Energy UK, part of one of the world's biggest wind energy companies, wants to erect the 40m test mast in a field on the outskirts of the village.

When addressing the community council in February, representatives stressed the application was only to establish whether the area, near Carmarthen, was suitable for wind turbines.

... and the name goes on and on...

But villager Meirion Rees said: "It might seem that changing the name of the village for the week is a bit of a joke but we could not be more serious.

"Welsh place names reflect unique landscape features, and hundreds of years of historical events and cultural traditions.

Endangered species

Wind turbines generate a lot of money for Welsh farmers and for Welsh contractors while they are built Matt Partridge, Gamesa

"If our community is to be overshadowed it might as well change its name and its identity."

He said the village was a haven for wildlife, including three endangered species - the Red Kite, Curlew and Skylark.

Mr Rees said the Wales Tourist Board had chosen the area as one of only four Tourism Growth Areas in Wales.

Campaigners chose the new name as it has more letters than the official longest place name in the UK - Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch on Anglesey.

... until it finally finishes here, 66 letters later

Carmarthenshire council's planning committee, which will discuss the turbine application on Thursday, has received 258 letters objecting to the proposal.

The authority's development control officer Ceri Davies said: "The application is going to the next planning committee with an officers' recommendation for approval.

Public meeting

"It is a testing mast rather than a fully-fledged wind mast and is temporary for a 24-month period.

"It is a precursor for a fully-blown wind farm application if the site is suitable. We cannot take that into consideration with this application."

Opinion on the test mast was divided when a public meeting was held in the village earlier in the year.

Some farmers said wind turbines could provide extra income for an industry they say is struggling.

Gamesa spokesman Matt Partridge told BBC Wales at the time it was impossible to say the size of or how many turbines the company would apply for if data from the test mast showed the area was suitable.

"It's very early days as we have not put up the test mast yet," he said.

"The government is acutely aware we need a lot more wind energy.