Fracking protestors locked together in road are cut free and arrested

North Yorkshire Police said two people were cut out at about 11.45am today (Weds Sept 27) and the remaining two at 1.15pm.

All four were checked over by police medics before being taken to custody.

The anti-fracking campaigners locked themselves to metal tubes before laying in the road earlier today the latest of a series of protests against the controversial drilling.

A specialist police team was sent to deal with the protesters, who had their arms locked into metal tubing outside a planned fracking site.

The protest is the latest in a string of demonstrations this month, in which several people have been arrested, ahead of planned fracking at the site off Habton Road later this year.

It comes after campaigners chained themselves to concrete barrels outside the site on Monday

Superintendent Alisdair Dey, of North Yorkshire Police, said: "It's a challenge to balance the the right of people to assemble and protest peacefully, against the right of people to go about their daily lives without disruption.

However, when the balance tips from peaceful protest to deliberate, unlawful acts that cause unreasonable disruption to others - including companies going about their lawful business - then we need to take action."