TWO people were arrested yesterday following a five-hour blockade of a nuclear site against further expansion of the plant.

Protesters used two cars and a caravan to block the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), which started at 7am yesterday.

Action AWE member Hannah Brock said: “Today we effectively shone a spotlight on the expensive, deadly and unnecessary work that the AWE profits from.”

Around 30 people chained themselves to their cars and to each other, bringing traffic to a standstill. 

It effectively delayed construction work until the afternoon, when police forcefully removed vehicles from one of the site entrance roads.

“We hope that it inspires others to take peaceful action to stop Trident renewal before 2016,” added Ms Brock.

Nuclear programme Trident is bound to be reassessed in the year following the next general election.

According to activists, direct action is “crucial” to stop an estimated £100 billion further government investment in the arms sector.

Ms Brock, from London, reiterated the amount would be “enough to fund every A&E department in the UK for the next 40 years.”

Action AWE — a grassroots anti-nuclear campaign focusing on the weapon assembly factory in Burghfield, Berkshire — hosted the stunt.

As reported by the Star, actions by anti-nuclear activists at Burghfield have escalated in recent months with the latest road block taking place just last May.

Peter Chan from Reading and Jane Picksley from Herefordshire were arrested for obstructing the highway.