Anti-fracking protesters face legal action

Anti-fracking campaigners face eviction from their protest camp near Blackpool, as energy firm Cuadrilla has launched legal proceeding to boot them off.

Cuadrilla said it, alongside local farmers, has served a claim for possession against demonstrators who have occupied farmland in Little Plumpton.

Around 250 protesters were reported to have moved into the site Preston New Road two weeks ago.

While most of them have now moved out, Cuadrilla says a hardcore of around 15 remain there.

The energy firm branded the activists "illegal trespassers" and said they were damaging the farmer's business.

A Cuadrilla spokesperson has described the occupation of offices in Blackpool by anti-cracking protesters as 'anti-democratic'.

They told us: “Cuadrilla has consistently made clear that we support the right to peaceful protest, but taking the law into your own hands – through trespass or direct action - is anti-democratic and harmful to local farmers, business and other job creators during an important time in Blackpool’s farming and business calendar.”

A group of around ten anti-fracking activists from the Reclaim the Power camp are occupying Chamber of Commerce offices in Blackpool, where Cuadrilla have a base.

The company’s office is located in an industrial park two kilometres from the farmland that Cuadrilla hopes to frack.

Several members of the group have secured themselves in place in the foyer of the building using plastic “arm tubes”.

According to the No Dash For Gas website, the activists intend to remain in the office until they are removed by police.

Hundreds of anti-fracking protestors have marched through Blackpool today to opose any further exploratory drilling on the Fylde Coast.

The action is part of a five day protest by campaigners, who have set up a protest camp in a farmers field.

Read: Anti-fracking campaigners gather at protest camp in Lancashire

Hundreds of anti-fracking campaigners have set up camp in Blackpool. Reclaim the Power, the action group that disrupted Cuadrilla's operations in Balcombe last year will take 6 days of action in the seaside town. There have already been a number of protests in the region over the gas extraction technique.

Anti-fracking campaigners have set up a protest camp in a field in Lancashire where they will stage a five-day protest.

A number of local residents have been camped in the field, near Blackpool. for some days and from today they were joined by protesters from around the UK.

They're opposing any further exploratory drilling on the Fylde Coast.

Organisers say the expect up to 800 people to join the protest camp, and they are warning of a series of protests over the next few days - including 'direct action' against local businesses.

Andrew Fletcher has this report: