Landowners argued yesterday that their property rights should trump the right to protest as they fight fracking activists through the courts.

Landholder Peel Group has brought a case to evict anti-fracking protesters from its Barton Moss site at Manchester High Court in Salford.

The company allowed oil and gas explorer IGas to start drilling last year but almost 100 people have since set up camp on the land in an attempt to block works.