Fracking protesters gather in North Yorkshire as crucial planning meeting begins

Ryedale residents tell councillors they do not want to be the first place in the UK to allow fracking

People living close to a proposed fracking operation in North Yorkshire have told councillors they do not want to be the first community in the UK to allow the controversial gas extraction technique.

A meeting has begun to consider an application by UK firm Third Energy to frack for shale gas at its existing drilling site near the village of Kirby Misperton, between Malton and Pickering, in North Yorkshire.