The BBC, ITN, the NUJ and Sky are all planning to appeal against a court order to hand over footage of Dale Farm to the police.

John Battle, head of compliance for ITN, said that broadcasters are not evidence gatherers for the police and that requests should be focussed so as to prevent "fishing expeditions".

Chief constable Andy Trotter, of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said they want to make sure camera crews are "not seen as an arm of the law" but the police have a duty to collect all the evidence available.

He said that it was for judges to decide whether serious crimes had been committed and these matters "are not taken lightly" by the judiciary.

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