A THIRD person from East Lancashire has been arrested as part of the action to halt a tree-top protest against the second runway at Manchester Airport.

Lee Himlin, 21, of Lenches Road, Colne, was due to appear at Macclesfield Magistrates' Court today after being arrested yesterday when bailiffs acting on behalf of the under Sheriff of Cheshire removed protesters from a tree top dwelling. He was charged with obstruction.

Mr Himlin, together with six other protesters, were in tree houses at Arthur's Wood, Styal, Cheshire, close to the airport's second runway.

Janine Neville, 24, also of Lenches Road, appeared at Macclesfield Court yesterday after being arrested at the same protesters' camp. She was also charged with obstruction and bailed to appear at court next month.

Zoe Weir, 24, whose parents live in Burnley, was brought down from the tree houses a week ago. She was similarly charged with obstruction and is due to appear at the court on October 25.

Campaigners said Pete Scott, of Colne, is one of three protesters still holding out in a tunnel on the site.

The tunnel, called Travesty by the protesters, is 80ft long and up to four feet high. It leads to several chambers and has six steel doors set in concrete to form barricades. One of the protesters at the entrance to the tunnel, who had his arms locked into tubes cemented into concrete blocks, was released yesterday. He was arrested and has been bailed to appear in court at a later date.

A total of 29 people have been arrested at the site in the past 12 days since bailiffs moved in.

The eco-warriors are campaigning against the lopping and felling of trees to help visibility on the approach to the airport's £172 million second runway.

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