Mums protest to protect Horsham district from fracking

Fracking is the process by which water and chemicals are pumped dump underground to release supplies of shale oil and gas.

Mothers Against Fracking focuses on the importance of saving the countryside for future generations.

Cat Savery, who heads up the Warnham Against Fracking group, met with other members and their children at the park’s bandstand on Wednesday October 29.

After doing some face painting, they marched up to County Hall North - the home of West Sussex County Council, which is the planning authority responsible for taking decisions about fracking or exploratory drilling for oil and gas.

Cat said: “We want to gain more awareness, get our children involved because they are our future.

“Wind power is giving the National Grid 20 per cent to the UK’s electricity.

“It goes to show it’s a positive move forward. It’s being used in Europe. We should use it more here as well.

The protest happened in the same week energy company London Local Energy announced its ambition to frack in the capital.

Cat added: “People think (fracking or drilling) won’t affect them, but it will. Nowhere is safe.”

The energy company Celtique Energie is appealing a decision by the county council to refuse permission to carry out exploratory drilling near Wisborough Green and Kirdford. Areas elsewhere in West Sussex have already been highlighted for similar activity.

West Sussex county councillors recently voted for the council not to take a position for or against fracking, but take each application on its own merits.