Anti-fracking protest at Wem transport firm

A handful of protesters gathered outside Trevor Pye Transport, on Wem Industrial Estate, which they say has been transporting goods to a fracking site in Lancashire.

Cuadrilla Resources has begun work on constructing the UK’s first multi-well shale gas frack pad at Preston New Road near Little Plumpton.

About five people have gathered on the outskirts of Wem this morning for what they have described as a "peaceful, powerful, pop-up protest", calling for the transport company to end its involvement with the fracking site.

One of the protesters, who did not wish to be named, said: "We are here today because we are unhappy that Trevor Pye is supplying the fracking industry.

"We want to reason with him and make him aware of what exactly fracking is and the consequences of it are.

"Protesters at the Preston New Road site have seen what lorries have being going on the site and protests have been taking place outside the companies involved. Some have already stopped their involvement with Cuadrilla."

The protester claimed Mr Pye has ignored their emails and has refused to meet with the group.

My Pye was unavailable to speak to the Shropshire Star today.

Work started to prepare the Preston New Road site in January and it has been the scene of continued protests by anti-fracking campaigners.

Earlier this month it was revealed campaigners have won the right to appeal against a government decision to allow fracking at the site.

Preston New Road Action Group (PNRAG) claim there were "legal errors" when approval was given to allow shale gas to be extracted in Little Plumpton.

The Court of Appeal granted a leave to appeal on grounds including the government misinterpreted and wrongly applied policy.

PNRAG is hoping the appeal will be heard before Cuadrilla starts drilling at the site in July.

Energy firm Cuadrilla was "confident consent will not be overturned".

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a technique designed to recover gas and oil from shale rock.