'No commercial drilling' at Upton anti-fracking protest site, IGas says

Protesters built defences at the site to resist eviction

Commercial drilling will not go ahead at a site near Chester where anti-fracking campaigners camped for almost two years, an energy company has said.

Protesters set up a camp at Upton in April 2014 to prevent work by IGas.

They were removed by police and bailiffs in January after being served with a court order in November.

IGas said following tests, it had "decided not to progress" with the coal bed methane (CBM) exploration wells at the site.

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After being served with the eviction notice, the protesters constructed an elaborate series of fortifications, including a network of tunnels, walls and a moat to try to prevent their removal.

An IGas spokeswoman said the site would be "returned to its former state, including rectifying the damage caused by the protest camp and protesters".

Protesters were removed from the site in January by police and baliffs

She said the company had carried out a "seismic acquisition programme" on a 42 sq mile (110 sq km) area, which includes the site at Duttons Lane, between September and November.

While the data gathered was still "in the processing and interpretation phase", she said early results showed the Upton site "do not meet criteria for commercial CBM development".

She added the full results would "determine the company's future exploration and appraisal work programme in the area".

The planning permission for the company to run tests at the site runs out on 28 May.