Power 'plot' protesters: 114 bailed

POLICE have bailed 114 people arrested over an alleged protest planned at Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station.

Around 200 officers swooped on the Iona School in Sneinton Dale in the early hours of yesterday to make the arrests.

Items including bolt croppers and devices to lock people to objects were seized.

A police spokeswoman said they "posed a serious threat to the safe running of the site".

The operation involved 200 officers from four forces – Notts, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire – and British Transport Police.

John Clarke, chairman of Notts Police Authority, said: "The annoying thing is that they can find so many officers to work on a bank holiday.

"It does amaze me, when I have been dealing for two days over the weekend with anti-social behaviour and no one is available."

The arrested people were questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to commit trespass and aggravated criminal damage.

The police spokeswoman said they had "gathered a large amount of evidence" which is being reviewed.

A spokesman for E.on, which owns the power station, said: "While we understand that everyone has a right to protest peacefully and lawfully, this was clearly neither of those things. We will be assisting police with their investigations into what could have been a very dangerous and irresponsible attempt to disrupt an operational power plant."

Police spent most of yesterday at the school, which is behind the Bakersfield Community Centre.

Officers left the building today. School administrator Nigel Revill said that they had nothing to do with what had taken place.

He said: "We are not sure at this stage exactly what has happened. I first heard about the police being here yesterday. It came as quite a shock."