THE additional costs of policing the Kirby Misperton fracking site amounted to £30,772 in February – down 36 per cent compared with the previous month.

It brings the total cost of the policing operation to £700,660.

This figure includes overtime, mutual aid, equipment, subsistence, and travel-related costs, but not the day-to-day costs of having officers on-site.

The latest costs were released by North Yorkshire's police and crime commissioner Julia Mulligan.

Julia said: "I’m pleased that costs were down again in February although this is to be expected while Third Energy’s activity has been put on hold.

"However, I will continue to keep a close eye on the impact financially and I will be making an application to government to recover as much of our costs as possible.”