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| Balcombe oil drilling starts after fracking protests | Balcombe oil drilling starts after fracking protests |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Energy company Cuadrilla has begun drilling for oil at a site in West Sussex after being held up by more than a week of protests. | Energy company Cuadrilla has begun drilling for oil at a site in West Sussex after being held up by more than a week of protests. |
| The company said it started drilling in Balcombe at 11:15 BST after completing tests on the equipment. | The company said it started drilling in Balcombe at 11:15 BST after completing tests on the equipment. |
| Protesters have gathered outside the site for the ninth day and more heavy lorries have gone through the gates. | Protesters have gathered outside the site for the ninth day and more heavy lorries have gone through the gates. |
| Campaigners fear the test drilling could lead to hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, at the site. | Campaigners fear the test drilling could lead to hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, at the site. |
| Six people were arrested on Thursday after protesters blocked the site entrance with an antique fire engine. | Six people were arrested on Thursday after protesters blocked the site entrance with an antique fire engine. |
| Cuadrilla spokesman Matt Lambert said the company had made good progress in getting lorries delivering drilling equipment on to the woodland site. | Cuadrilla spokesman Matt Lambert said the company had made good progress in getting lorries delivering drilling equipment on to the woodland site. |
| "We have had a significant amount of disruption from protesters and the police have been dealing with that in the proper way," he said. | "We have had a significant amount of disruption from protesters and the police have been dealing with that in the proper way," he said. |
| "They have a perfect right to make their point of view known." | "They have a perfect right to make their point of view known." |
| A total of 31 people have been arrested, including the daughter of Kinks star Ray Davies and Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde. | A total of 31 people have been arrested, including the daughter of Kinks star Ray Davies and Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde. |
| Natalie Hynde, 30, glued herself to her boyfriend, veteran environmental activist Simon "Sitting Bull" Medhurst, 55, to form a "human lock" at the site entrance on Wednesday. | Natalie Hynde, 30, glued herself to her boyfriend, veteran environmental activist Simon "Sitting Bull" Medhurst, 55, to form a "human lock" at the site entrance on Wednesday. |
| On Tuesday, human rights activist Bianca Jagger called on people across the UK to join protesters. | On Tuesday, human rights activist Bianca Jagger called on people across the UK to join protesters. |
| One campaigner, Miranda, from Cuckfield, said on Friday she had been at the protest every day to show some local support. | One campaigner, Miranda, from Cuckfield, said on Friday she had been at the protest every day to show some local support. |
| "They are here fighting for our local community," she said. | "They are here fighting for our local community," she said. |
| "A lot of people do not want this here or anywhere in the UK for that matter." | "A lot of people do not want this here or anywhere in the UK for that matter." |
| Another protester, in a group who travelled from Blackpool, said: "I cannot live with what is going on. | |
| "They are raping our countryside and it is going to happen in Blackpool worse than anywhere else. | "They are raping our countryside and it is going to happen in Blackpool worse than anywhere else. |
| "Most people accept there is an energy crisis and that things need to change but this is not the way forward." | "Most people accept there is an energy crisis and that things need to change but this is not the way forward." |
| Cuadrilla has said it would need fresh permission to carry out fracking. | Cuadrilla has said it would need fresh permission to carry out fracking. |
| Chief executive Francis Egan said he did not think the community would be disrupted once drilling began. | Chief executive Francis Egan said he did not think the community would be disrupted once drilling began. |
| "The community should not really notice much activity at all unless they want to walk down to the site and see it," he said. | "The community should not really notice much activity at all unless they want to walk down to the site and see it," he said. |
| "There will not be a lot of noise. | "There will not be a lot of noise. |
| "The testing does involve some flaring if there is gas but we are not expecting to find gas." | "The testing does involve some flaring if there is gas but we are not expecting to find gas." |