ANTI-fracking protesters have erected another tower at the gates of the Kirby Misperton fracking site.

At around 8pm last night protesters say they snuck the prefabricated tower past police officers guarding the gate.

It was erected in less than a minute with two people already inside.

The pair have locked themselves together and vow to stay in place as long as they can to disrupt deliveries to the fracking site.

One of the occupants of the tower, said: "I want to send a message that fracking is wrong. So I'm here to protect my right to a safe environment and a safe earth."

A police spokesperson said that on Sunday evening, the protesters held a peaceful candlelit vigil at the entrance of the site in Habton Road for members of the local community.

During the event, the spokesperson went on, at about 7pm, a group of protestors dragged a tower into the road at the site entrance.

A man and a woman then climbed on top of it, and locked themselves to each other. They remained there overnight.

Superintendent Alisdair Dey, of North Yorkshire Police, said: "Once again, emergency services resources will have to be deployed to deal with this tower in the road – so the actions of a minority of protestors will cause significant disruption."

It is the third time protesters have built a tower and climbed up it at Kirby Misperton. On both previous occasions, protestors have been removed and arrested by police, and the towers dismantled by the county council.

A specialist police team is on site assessing the situation. Habton Road remains open to through traffic as of 9.50am.