Anti-fracking protesters were forced to evacuate their camp after a fire ripped through their site.
The Ellesmere Port Frack Free group, which is campaigning against plans for an exploration well off Merseyton Road by IGas Energy, said their kitchen burned down and everyone was forced to leave the smoke-filled structure.
But having seen the damage caused by the blaze, Cheshire West and Chester Council is now calling on the protesters to leave the site for good.
Recently the council visited the camp, close to the intended drilling site, and served a notice stating legal action would be taken if it was not vacated.
The campaigners’ response was ‘see you in court!’
They told the council: “We are here causing nobody loss or harm, in a peaceful capacity to raise awareness of the heinous hydraulic fracturing industry which is proven to be an unsafe and unsound business that you have backed with no social licence and little or no public consultation.”
The protesters added: “We will be going nowhere! We won’t budge before IGas do!”
They plan to move if the council withdrew all planning permissions for unconventional gas to be extracted.
At an earlier stage, the council said no approvals had been granted for extraction in Cheshire West and Chester.
It confirmed it owns the land occupied by the camp and had given the protesters notice to vacate the site.
A spokesman said: “We recognise the right to peaceful protest, although not indefinitely, on the authority’s land.
“The protesters have occupied this site since mid-September and have had ample time to make their point.”
He added: “It should be emphasised that no applications have been received for the extraction of shale gas in West Cheshire.
“Even when such an application is received by this authority it would require separate planning permission and will be subject to the normal comprehensive planning application process including full consultation.
“Cheshire West and Chester Council has no official policy on this issue and at present an all party working group on unconventional gas and oil extraction is considering evidence from all sides involved in this debate.
“The working group is expected to report back to the council’s Executive in the spring of 2015.”
The council says its Streetscene service moved in to clear the site soon after the protesters had left.
“Excessive debris, temporary structures and the remains of a large fire posed an obvious risk to health and safety, particularly if local youngsters had been attracted to the area,” it said.
“The authority, as owners of the land, had no alternative but to take immediate action.”
