E.ON is building an improved perimeter fence around Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station after being targeted by climate change protesters.

The power company had intelligence suggesting its security could at risk before the arrests this weekend.

Site services engineer Ian Tilley said the fence plans followed recent incidents of "suspicious activity" where people were seen taking photographs without a valid reason, which they believed could be "hostile reconnaissance."

The Post can reveal E.on recently secured permission to build a 3.3m-high, welded mesh fence with "powered electric deter and detection system" to run 4.3km around the outer edge of the power station.

The fence would also use "anti-climb razor wire" at the top and a concrete plinth underground to prevent people digging under it.

Work has started on the multi-million pound replacement fence and is expected to take 33 weeks to complete.

In a design and access statement to Rushcliffe Borough Council, Mr Tilley said: "The available intelligence suggests that E.onUK is highly likely to become a target for Camp for Climate Change in 2009 and beyond. This is a real security risk to all coal-fired power stations.