More 'fracking sites' for region?

Around 1,000 protesters are expected to head to Balcombe, Sussex next week to set up a climate camp. This report by Tom Savvides includes interviews with villagers, campaigner Ewa Jasiewicz from "No Dash for Gas" and Supt Lawrence Hobbs of Sussex Police.

The Sussex Wildlife Trust claims that insufficient consultation and surveys were carried out before oil drilling started at Balcombe.

The charity says the ancient woodland surrounding the site in West Sussex could be home to a number of species of woodland birds, bats and dormice and their habitat is potentially being disrupted while exploration takes place.

We've been covering the story of the drilling and the protests at Balcombe for the last couple of weeks. The MP for the area is Francis Maude. We spoke to him earlier and asked him: was he surprised at the level of opposition to the drilling in Balcombe?

First it was Balcombe, now it's been revealed that a village just a few miles away could be the next site for test drilling for oil. And with deposits identified across the south, many fear it could be only a matter of time before they're next.

Tom Savvides reports from Fernhurst in Sussex and speaks to residents and campaigners Marcus Adams and Martyn Knights.

Campaigners at Greenpeace have produced a map of sites that, they say, are threatened by hydraulic fracturing. For more information click here.

Local people in Balcombe in Sussex say more and more protesters are heading to their village to support their attempts to stop fracking going ahead. And nearly all of them say they welcome the help of the campaigners. John Ryall reports.

A second supplies lorry has arrived at Balcombe and faces a crowd of anti-fracking protestors at the entrance of the drilling site.

Protestors remain at Balcombe after test drilling began at the site on Friday.

Anti-fracking protests have been blocking the path of lorries driving onto the site as they prepare to drill.

Protests have delayed Cuadrilla's plans to drill a vertical 3,000ft well to last up to three months.

Anti-fracking protests at an exploratory drilling site in Sussex has taken on a festival atmosphere as the demonstration enters its 10th day.

Energy company Cuadrilla announced that it began operations at Balcombe yesterday.

Activists from across the UK have descended on the village which has become a national focal point for the campaign against hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

Protests have caused delays to Cuadrilla's plans to drill a 3,000ft vertical well in a project lasting up to three months.

Despite earlier confrontations - and a number of arrests - the protest has taken on a party atmosphere today with about 260 people taking part.

One of the protesters, who would only give his name as Daniel, said: "There are more people here than there have ever been.

"There's a festival-type atmosphere, people are dancing in the street, it's absolutely packed, it's really nice, there's a real unity of people who have been resident in the camp along with the residents of the village.

"I would say there are about 260 people here today, there's no confrontation with the police today, it's been very peaceful."

Although the energy firm has said it has no plans to use the controversial method of fracking, villagers fear it will at some point in the future.

Fracking involves high pressure liquid being pumped deep underground to split shale rock and release gas supplies.

Opponents of the method have highlighted concerns about potential water contamination and environmental damage, as well as small-scale earthquakes.

Cuadrilla's chief executive, Francis Egan, has tried to soothe concerns by saying his firm has "no intention of ruining the countryside".

Although fracking was not part of the firm's plans, Mr Egan insisted it was safe and would not pose a threat to the public or people's drinking water.

More than 30 people have been arrested since last Friday at Balcombe, mainly on suspicion of obstructing deliveries, including Natalie Hynde, 30, the daughter of the Kinks' Ray Davies and the Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde.

Natalie Hynde's boyfriend, veteran eco-campaigner Simon "Sitting Bull" Medhurst, 55, was also held after the pair superglued their hands together around the gate for around two hours.

Superintendent Lawrence Hobbs, of Sussex Police, said: "My officers are there to allow protesters to safely and peacefully protest. We also need to uphold the right of the company to operate and bring their vehicles on to the site.

"The vast majority of the protesters feel very passionately about this issue and are protesting peacefully. If protesters do become violent they should understand that this is not acceptable and they will be arrested."

Protestors have spent a tenth day demonstrating outside an oil company in Sussex where test drilling has started.