Protest camp for Shropshire gas drill test site
A protest camp has been set up on land in north Shropshire, close to a site earmarked for test drilling to look for coal bed methane.
Those who took over the corner of a field at Dudleston stress they are are "protectors" of land and not protesters.
And they have pledged to occupy the site for as long as it takes to see the test drilling application turned down.
A planning application has gone to Shropshire Council for a test drill on the land, owned by farmer, Paul Hickson, the first such application for the county. It is due to go before planners in September.
The application has caused controversy both within the local community as well as attracting interest from national "anti-fracking" groups – although Dart Energy, the company seeking permission, says fracking is neither being used to search for, or extract coal bed methane.
Now two tents, a tarpaulin covered stores cupboard and a free standing solar panel, have appeared in the corner of a field, just a few hundred yards from where a test drill would be sunk.
The occupiers are Karen Summer, 43, from Montgomery, Dean Curtis, 30 from Oswestry and a 39-year-old who would only identify himself as Yellowbelly.
They said they were protected by legislation brought in in 1977, which mean they could only be evicted by a court order.
"We are protectors of the land, not protesters, and we are not involved in any way with any local groups objecting to the planning application," said Yellowbelly, who has been to anti-drilling camps across Britain.
Ms Summer said: "We have already had a lot of support from local people, who have been bringing us supplies. We will stay here for as long as it takes to ensure the drilling does not go ahead. Our aim is to have a low visual impact, to protect the wildlife and to leave this beautiful place exactly as we find it."
Mr Hickson, 54, speaking out for the first time today, said that legal contracts made it impossible for him to make his views about the application known.
But he said he was able to speak on behalf of his sons, Wesley, 29, and Ashley, 28, who own the livestock on his farm.
"They are extremely worried that, if the water supply on the land is polluted it will have very serious repercussions for the farm and the livestock," he said. "My sons are very much against this application.
"The farm is fed by several springs, that were discovered by my father and my grandfather.
"My sons now fear that the supply could be severely interrupted."
He said that when he signed an agreement some years ago, allowing an energy company to site a test drill on his land, he had been told it would be there for just a few days. "Now it has snowballed and turned into something unbelievable," he said.
"I love this land.
"It has been in my family for five generations and it is in my blood."
"I am disappointed that the campers did not come to see me before they went only the land. A lot can be achieved by talking and I am sorry they did not come to talk to me."
