WORK on the £240m power line being constructed across farmland was brought to a halt on Tuesday by a determined one-woman protest.

Defiant widow, Rosalind Craven, supported by a handful of campaigners stood at the gate to her land at Home Farm, Huby, and refused entry to officials from the National Grid.

She believes the National Grid has no legal claim to the land and therefore no right to enter on to it. She read out a statement as to why she is refusing National Grid and contractors, Belfour Beatty access to the land.

This is the first time, out of many protests against pylons, that the company has had to consider taking legal action in the High Court to proceed.

A spokesman for National Grid said it had been in correspondence with Mrs Craven for two years and that "regretfully, during that time she has refused to meet us to discuss a way forward. "We are firmly within our rights to enter the farm and install the lines."

Prof Mike O'Carroll, chairman of the anti-pylon campaign group Revolt, stood by Mrs Craven's side in support during the stand-off.

Meanwhile, not far away on another farm at Alne, the gates are now firmly closed against access, though work on the pylons has started.

Initially, when workmen arrived, the Gills - brothers John and Richard of Station Farm - pressed NG to meet proper biosecurity requirements with some success.

Though NG resisted, the Gills made the company install proper disinfecting pits, erect a double fence around the working area, sign in and disinfect each time workmen entered.

This worked for a while, and Balfour Beatty complied and had white boiler suits for staff.

But then NG wayleave officers failed to comply, and there were other disputed matters concerning claims that the watercourse might be contaminated. The Gills referred to Malcolm Perkins, of the Environment Agency in Thirsk and, following his advice, have withdrawn their undertakings.

So, the gate remains locked and entry is refused.