Protesters arrested at terminal

One quarter of Britain's gas is handled at Bacton

Police have arrested 19 protesters following a demonstration at a gas terminal in Norfolk.

About 25 people gathered at the Bacton Gas Terminal, in the morning to protest against fossil fuels.

Norfolk Police said nine women and 10 men were arrested on suspicion of unlawful obstruction of a highway.

The women are aged between 23 and 50 and the men are aged between 21 and 39. They are being questioned by police, said a spokesman.

Officers were deployed to the scene to assess the situation and the protest came to an end following negotiations, a police spokesman said.

The spokesman added the protest was dealt with in an "effective manner".

'Priority safety'

Police were called to the terminal just before 0700 BST and the protest came to an end at about 1100 BST.

Supt Jo Parrett, of Norfolk Police, said: "Our priority at all times was the safety of the public and to ensure Bacton Terminal continued to run safely and securely.

"The incident was dealt with in an effective manor with a successful and peaceful outcome and I would like to thank any members of the public who were disrupted for their patience this morning."

One quarter of Britain's gas is handled at Bacton, which also processes supplies from three North Sea oil fields and channels gas to and from Europe.

The terminal, operated by several energy companies, houses gas processing plants and pipelines feeding gas between Britain and Europe.