YORK Central MP Rachael Maskell has called on anyone opposed to fracking to 'take to the streets' to protest at the controversial decision this week to allow fracking in Ryedale.

North Yorkshire county councillors voted 7-4 on Monday to allow Third Energy to begin fracking at an existing two mile deep well near Kirby Misperton. It was the first fracking application to be approved in the UK since 2011.

Ms Maskell said the decision flew in the teeth of huge public opposition - and that locals had not been listened to.

More than 4,000 people had objected to the Third Energy application, the Labour MP said.

"For them to go against that huge tide of public opposition is saying that they have not listened to what local people want," she said.

Ms Maskell said those opposed to fracking should use their human right to protest. "Write to your MP," she said. "Meet your MP. Take to the streets."

Ms Maskell's call to protest came as anger continued to grow over the decision.

Di Keal of Frack Free Ryedale said her group's membership had doubled in size since the application was approved.

The group's planning team was looking into the possibility of seeking a judicial review, she said. "The application received 4,375 objections and only 36 letters in favour," she said. "This is clearly a failure in local democracy. Concerns were simply brushed aside."

But Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake said that just because the decision hadn't been what opponents of fracking wanted didn't mean they hadn't been listened to.

He accepted that there were many people with concerns, but others in his constituency were in favour of fracking, he said. Of the 4,000-odd letters of objection, 3,000 were templated. "They were part of a campaign group."

Mr Hollinrake said stringent measures were in place to regulate and monitor fracking in the UK. "If exploration works cannot be carried out within acceptable environmental standards then I will call for a moratorium," he promised.

Meanwhile another fracking firm, INEOS - which has licenses to frack in North Yorkshire and York - has confirmed it will be analysing data on underground rock strata later this year.

"If the analysis shows that the area is viable INEOS will apply for planning permission to drill core samples from a relatively small number of sites," the company said.