Frack Off protestors storm cuadrilla site in Banks near Southport

Nov 3 2011 by Michael Byrne, Ormskirk Advertiser

ANTI-fracking protestors stormed the Cuadrillia site in Banks yesterday morning and halted operations there.

Nine members of the national anti-fracking network Frack Off ran on to the site early on Wednesday and scaled the drilling rig using climbing equipment.

They aim to sit on top of the rig for as long as possible to stop drilling. Campaigners are acting in support of the ‘Frack Mob’ mass action happening outside the Shale Gas Environmental Summit yesterday afternoon.

Cuadrilla is continuing operations despite the protests and a report which found its operations could have caused quakes near Blackpool.

The report states:

It is highly probable that the hydraulic fracturing of Cuadrilla’s Preese Hall-1 well (near Blackpool) did trigger a number of minor seismic events.

None of the events recorded, including one in April of 2.3 and one in May of 1.5 on the Richter scale, had any structural impact on the surface above.