Anti-fracking direct action camp called in Blackpool, Lancashire

Hundreds of activists from around Britain were expected to converge on Blackpool, Lancashire, this weekend, for discussions, protests and direct action against fracking.

The campaign Reclaim the Power has called a protest camp against fracking for shale gas from Thursday of this week. 

It is backed by long running anti-fracking campaigns in the region. There are also coaches planned from London, Brighton and Bristol.

In the run-up to the camp a group of local activists occupied a field where Cuadrilla proposes to drill for shale gas.

Northern Lancashire has been at the forefront of the development of the shale gas industry in Britain. It is the location of the only working fracking rig to date. 

Now the Tories are pushing for more, and last month put almost £2 million into the new Office of Unconventional Gas and Oil fracking quango.