A MAN has been charged after a protest was held at a gas extraction site at Doe Green.

Police were called to the site, off Farnworth Road, Penketh, at around 11am yesterday, Tuesday, morning following reports of intruders on the site.

At least four people were on the site, including a woman who had secured herself to the gates, and two further people who had secured themselves to equipment on the site.

The protestors said in a series of online videos that they believe IGas, an energy company that owns the site, are fracking at the site to extract coal bed methane.

IGas denies it is currently using fracking on the site but said it had stimulated one well at Doe Green with water prior to 2011.

"We are not fracking at Doe Green and none of the wells that currently produce gas from the coal seams have actually been fracked," a spokesman said.

At 1.30pm, the woman secured to the gates was released and at 4.30pm the two people secured inside the premises were unsecured.

Four people, a woman and three men, were then arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass.

A 40-year-old man from Trafford was charged with deterring a person from engaging in lawful activity, and will appear at North Cheshire Magistrates Court on July 1.

A 23-year-old man from Wrexham, a 41-year-old man from Blackpool and a 30-year-old woman from Llangollen were cautioned.