THE additional costs of policing the Kirby Misperton fracking site amounted to £30,772 in February 2018 – down 36 per cent compared with the previous month.

The figures were released this morning by North Yorkshire's police and crime commissioner Julia Mulligan.

The additional costs of the so-called 'Operation Kingfisher' policing operation so far have amounted to:

• £80,238 up to August 31 2017
• £101,476 in September 2017
• £233,704 in October 2017
• £147,881 in November 2017
• £58,488 in December 2017
• £48,101 in January 2018
• £30,772 in February 2018

These figures include overtime, mutual aid, equipment, subsistence, and travel-related costs, but not the day-to-day costs of having officers on-site.

The total cost to date is £700,660.

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.”