A PROTRACTED row over plans for an opencast mine between two rural villages came to a head yesterday when bailiffs moved in to tear down a protest camp.

Three people had been arrested by police at the Pont Valley Protection Camp, at the Bradley site, between Dipton and Leadgate, in County Durham, by last night with several protestors remaining on the site.

Catch up on yesterday's dramatic events

Overnight two people freed themselves from a “lock-on device” in a wheelie bin and fled the scene, as well as a person who was in a caravan.

Two people who emerged from holes they had dug in the ground were arrested in the early hours of this morning. Specialists have been brought in to remove two protestors holding out in a tree. 

The operation involving more than 20 bailiffs and 50 police officers and workers from Durham County Council began at 6.20am yesterday.

Campaigners accused them of committing a “wildlife crime”, claiming they had found a protected great crested newt on the site days ago.

Activists were given an 8am deadline to move, before county council workers began to tear down tents on the verge of the road.

A stand-off then developed between bailiffs and several protestors who had their arms fastened in “lock-on” devices.

Three people were in a tree house, including one suspended in a wheelchair.

A police spokesman said last night: “Two women and one man have been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass at the camp next to the A692 between Leadgate and Dipton.

“Several protesters remain at the site, including two who have scaled a tree on the edge of the field, and two who are locked-on underground.

“Police and bailiffs will remain at the scene throughout the night and work to extricate the remaining protesters will resume tomorrow morning.”

The A692 was reopened at 4.30pm.

Bailiffs were acting on behalf of developers The Banks Group, who are trying to secure land at the Bradley site, which has been awarded permission to operate as an opencast site.

The land has been at the centre of a planning row for three decades.

An application by UK Coal was rejected, and two public inquiries and a High Court case later, the site has planning permission.

Campaigner Anne Harris said: “On Tuesday we found a great crested newt on the site. They are a European protected species.

“Everyone who is in uniform here is complicit in a wildlife crime.”

She added: “This application is linked to Banks Group’s so far failure to mine at Druridge Bay, which has been rejected by the Secretary of State Sajid Javid. Banks Group wanted to mine £3m tonnes there by comparison to the half million tonnes here.

“They are making a last dash for coal and trying to make money and profit out of a dead, dying industry.

“We absolutely have to get away from coal now.

“This community will lose this land. It is beautiful and diverse – and they have consistently said no.”

Stephen Reed, Durham County Council’s planning development manager, said: “Previous ecological reports submitted during the planning appeal processes recorded a declining population of great crested newts within the site and the issue was considered by the planning inspectorate at the time of the planning appeal.

“We are also aware that a survey carried out in 2017 on behalf of the Banks Group that did not find evidence of great crested newts.

“The issue of the need or otherwise for a protected species licence lies with Natural England.”

A Natural England Spokesperson said: “An environment survey was carried out on the site last year by an independent ecologist.

“Banks Group approached Natural England to check the interpretation of this initial report which found no evidence of great crested newts on site.

“If great crested newts are found on a site the developers must take action and ensure they are not in breach of any licensing terms.”

Julian Christopher, spokesman for The Banks Group, said the company was aware of what was happening at the site, but said any action was being managed by Durham County Council and the police.