Oil tests to begin in the Mendips

Oil was found near Shepton Mallet in the 1890s after an earthquake

An Irish company has been granted a licence to start exploring part of the Mendip Hills for oil.

Reservoir Resources has permission to test drill in an area between Wells, Shepton Mallet and Castle Cary.

Oil was discovered in the area as far back as 1892, when it was found seeping from the ground at Ashwick Court near Shepton following an earthquake.

Historians say it was sold locally, but the quantity was insufficient to take extraction any further.

Professor Michael Kendall, a seismologist from the University of Bristol said: "The price of oil is in an order of magnitude higher than it was before, so it's probably worth re-evaluating some of these smaller claims."

But oil and gas exploration consultant, Mike Campbell, said it was unlikely there would be rigs springing up all over the Mendips.

"There's been oil and gas exploration across southern Britain and the east Midlands since about 1915 and most people don't even know it's there.

"The British scale of it is much smaller than that in the States, and I'm sure as most people know, the planning regime is much tougher and there is a lot of process to go through before anyone is allowed to bring a drilling rig in."

The exploration licence was granted by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.