EDF funded police force say there are two types of protestors that demonstrate outside Hinkley Point.

Sgt Steve Crago told the town council in Bridgwater that there were planned and unplanned protests which they were experienced in dealing with.

He said: “Planned protests are easy to deal with as we get advance notice of those. As an example in October the Green Party MEP Molly Scott Cato and a French politician gathered at Hinkley Point. WE met with their representatives. We had a plan and the plan were very well with 100 people there and it was a successful day.”

Three weeks later there was a different protest which was unplanned.

“At half past six one morning,” he said, “it was about half a mile from the power station were three people in the middle of the road preventing 2,000 people from getting on the site. It was interesting to note that they were three females aged 62, 65 and 72. So we are dealing with all types of people.”

He said they had used barrels, chicken wire and locks to link together making it difficult to cut them free and open the road. The police have experience in the matter he said and within three hours the road was unblocked and the women removed.