19 February 2007: For Immediate Release

On Wednesday 14 February, npower began to cut trees and clear undergrowth around Thrupp Lake, near Abingdon, Oxfordshire. This beautiful lake has been used for leisure and loved by local residents for decades. RWE npower now proposes to fill it with fuel ash from Didcot A Power Station. npower have described the tree felling is described as "preparatory works".

As news of the tree felling spread, local residents gathered at the site where they found:

• A injunction in force that prevents any photographs of npower at work
• A heavy presence of security staff, their faces hidden by balaclavas
• Around twenty men using chainsaws to cut down trees around the Lake and on its islands.

Emotions were running high, and a decision was made to apply for consent from Thames valley Police to hold a protest march. That took place on 1.30pm on Saturday 17 February, with 250 people attending.

Andy Boddington, Campaign Manager for CPRE Oxfordshire says: "It is hard to estimate how many trees have been cut down due to the wide-ranging injunctions preventing access to the site and photography. My estimate is that 250 trees, young and old, have been felled. Around 250 people, young and old, came on our march to protest at the tree felling." He continues: "The injunctions prevented us taking photographs of the tree felling. npower's balaclava-wearing security staff however videoed our march. They filmed families with their children, and an elderly man on an electric trike. We call on npower to release the video to show how peaceful and good natured the march was. People were very upset by what they saw, especially the destruction of Cormorant Island where cormorants nest in the spring and the absence of swans, which have been scared away by npower's actions. Nevertheless, there was no trouble on the march whatsoever."

The march was organised by CPRE Oxfordshire on behalf of local communities and the Save Radley Lakes campaign. Despite less than one day's notice, 250 people with banners arrived to march two miles to the Lakes and to hear speeches. The march was organised with the full cooperation of Thames Valley Police.

Save Radley Lakes has applied to Oxfordshire County Council for the Lakes to be given Town Green status, but it is not clear when the application will be decided.

ENDS

Contact: Andy Boddington, Campaign Manager, Campaign to Protect Rural England, Oxfordshire.

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[1] More information at:

• http://www.cpreoxon.org.uk/campaigns/oxon/vale/radley/radley_lakes.htm
• http://www.saveradleylakes.org.uk/
• http://www.radleyvillage.org.uk/

[2] Photographs of the protest are available.