Blackpool Gazette: Resort group’s frack fight

Mum-of-two Michelle Hayward, from North Shore, called for support in starting up ‘Frack Free Blackpool’ at a busy public meeting on Wednesday night.

Around 80 people turned up to the meeting at the Comrades Club, on Adelaide Street, Blackpool, including Blackpool Mayor Coun Eddie Collett and other councillors.

Ms Hayward said serious environmental concerns over the impact of fracking forced her to take a stand. She also hit out at David Cameron’s call for Blackpool to become “the centre of Europe for the shale gas industry” at the Tory party conference in Manchester.

She added: “I’ve been involved with the cause, working with Residents Action on Fylde Fracking, for six months. I’m doing this for my boys.”

Campaigners’ fears centre around the dangers of fracking, the process of injecting water into rock deep below the ground to release shale gas, including contamination of the region’s water.  MORE