Two directors quit key fracking firm amid 'Tory rebellion' claims

Uncertainty around Third Energy's North Yorkshire project blamed for resignations

Third Energy, one of the firms at the frontline of the UK's fracking drive, has been hit by the departure of two of its directors due to delays over its flagship project in North Yorkshire. Campaigners said the resignations were a sign of a company "in meltdown".

The Barclays-backed company had looked likely to be the first shale explorer to frack in the UK for years, but its plans for the KM8 well have been pushed back by government checks over its financial health.