NORTH Yorkshire police spent £48,101 policing the Kirby Misperton anti-fracking protest in January.

This was down 17 per cent on December's total of £58,488.

It brings the total figure of policing the site to nearly £700,000.

This figure includes overtime, mutual aid, equipment, subsistence, and travel-related costs - but it does not include the cost of those officers that are assigned to policing the site on a day-to-day basis.

PCC Julia Mulligan said she will attempt to recover some of the costs from the Government.

She said: “Costs were down again in January, which is to be expected while Third Energy’s activity has been put on hold.

“I will continue to keep a close eye on this operation and the cost to the North Yorkshire taxpayer, and will soon be making an application to government to recover as much of our costs as possible.

"Of course, any move to relax the current thresholds and allow full cost recovery would be most welcome.”