Protesters dressed as builders post banners on Blackpool Tower

Two men were arrested yesterday morning for putting 500m banners on Blackpool Tower to protest against nearby gas extraction.

The two men, who gained access to the tower by dressing as builders, were protesting against the use of the controversial extraction process fracking. A 24-year-old from East Sussex and a 63-year-old from Surrey were arrested by Lancashire Police and were held on suspicion of criminal damage and being on an enclosed premises. The energy company Cuadrilla suspended fracking work near Blackpool in June amid fears of a link to two earthquakes in the area. The fracking process involves blasting water into rock to release gas.