Climate change activists being evicted from an anti-HS2 camp on edge of London

Tap above to watch video report by Simon Harris

Climate change activists were today being evicted from an anti-HS2 protest camp on the edge of London.

Bailiffs began an operation to clear the camp in woodland at Denham Country Park, Bucks early this morning.

The eviction teams demolished a makeshift wooden tower after removing protesters. Some activists were occupying tree houses.

The activists have spent more than a year trying to frustrate the construction of a temporary bridge over the River Colne.

Veteran campaigner Dan Hooper, alias ‘Swampy’ occupied a wooden tower in the stream last year before being removed.An HS2 spokesperson said: “Instead of attempting to delay our work, these activists should clear their unsafe protest camp, stop threatening and assaulting our staff and stop causing damage to the river and surrounding environment.”

Computer generated image of an HS2 train Credit: HS2/PA

HS2 is scheduled to open between 2029 and 2033.

The first trains will run on new high-speed lines between London and Crewe via Birmingham, before joining the existing network to create direct services to locations such as Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and Glasgow.