Climate protest targets engineers

Five environmental activists have been arrested during a protest against plans to build a coal-fired power station.

Thirteen members of Thames Valley Climate Action from Oxford had entered the BAM Nuttall offices in Camberley, Surrey at about 1100 BST.

The civil engineering company has submitted a bid to E.On UK for the construction of the power station at Kingsnorth in Hoo, Kent.

The plant would be the UK's first coal power station to be built for 30 years.

A spokesperson for Thames Valley Climate Action said they had locked and glued themselves to furniture and unfurled a banner reading 'No New Coal: Build a Greener Future' above the entrance.

'Disastrous implications'

Surrey Police sent officers to the protest and deployed a helicopter to monitor the site.

The five protesters were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass and were taken into custody at Woking Police Station.

A BAM Nuttall spokesperson earlier said no damage had been caused by the protesters.

A spokesperson for Surrey Police said: "The peaceful protesters have also left the area and the demonstration has now come to a close."

During the protest, the campaigners requested to speak to the chief executive about the "disastrous implications of building more coal-fired power stations", a Thames Valley Climate Action spokesperson said.

Staff and passers-by were also handed leaflets and information about their concerns.

About 1,000 demonstrators attended a camp to protest against plans for the new coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth in August.

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