Massive convoys of test frack equipment arrive at West Newton

This is in flagrant breach of 2 key Planning Conditions- they need to give 2 week's written notice before activities on site (Condition 2) and there must be no convoys of vehicles, with at least 10 minutes between vehicles. (In the Traffic Plan referred to in Condition 7)

There were multiple large convoys, totalling 64 vehicles. The well pad was extremely crowded with vehicles and equipment.

There was a very heavy police presence with numerous vans and riot vans, around a hundred police through the villages of New Ellerby, Marton and West Newton.
High Fosham road was closed to pedestrians and traffic.

West Newton has had anti fracking Protectors camping at the site since May 9th. There is another camp at Rathlin's other well site in East Yorkshire, Crawberry Hill.

Louise Castro, a protector camping at the site said, "It's chaos and mayhem here- local villagers were forced to trail across the fields just to see what was going on, and were devastated- some burst in to tears when the scale of it hit home. Rathlin have ridden roughshod over the traffic plan worked worked out with the villagers."

Ian Crane, a former oil executive also living at the anti fracking camps said, "Today the locals got a taste of what is to come on a daily basis if the unconventional oil and gas industry is allowed to go ahead with fracking in this area".

Pauline Hakeny, a resident of nearby Skirlaugh said, "I'm really shocked at the amount of vehicles- they promised us this would never happen- and also the amount of police- there were loads of vans and officers in all the surrounding villages."