They claim the council mismanaged the clean-up of land contaminated by British Steel during the 1980s-1990s.

The group said toxic waste led to their children being born with clubbed feet, missing fingers or webbed hands.

The council said it will examine the findings of studies conducted on behalf of the families.

Mandy Thorpe, whose son was born with a deformed hand, said: "Basically it is just about getting an answer."

The mother of nine-year-old Curtis added: "It has gone on long enough. It's six years now.

"If it was a fluke of nature its quite easy to deal with but if it was somebody else's fault - for example, the council's - I would be very bitter, very bitter that somebody's mismanagement of a site has led to my son having a disability."

Land reclamation

After the steelworks closed in 1980 the council employed contractors to clean up the toxic waste sites scattered around the town and transport the material to a site in the north east of the town.

The families claim the council's clean-up of the contaminated land led to harmful chemicals escaping.

In February 2000 a study into a link between toxic waste and birth defects in the town by the Northamptonshire Health Authority ruled there were no more children born with hand deformities in Corby than the national average.

It also stated it was too early to tell if there was a connection between birth deformities and toxic waste.

Solicitor Des Collins, representing the families, has also commissioned studies into the links between birth defects and toxic waste by a leading toxicologist and has presented these to the High Court

'Three times higher'

One study claims that based on the evidence claim birth defects for babies born in Corby are three times higher than the district average.

In a statement Chris Mallender, chief executive of Corby Borough Council, said: "We are happy to receive these papers, which might at last provide us with the detailed basis behind the claim.

"We will give a full response as soon as we are able to, having given the matters appropriate consideration."

It has taken six years for the families to get their case before the High Court.