NATIONAL park chiefs have welcomed government plans to prevent fracking within their boundaries - except in “exceptional circumstances”.

Ministers have unveiled guidance which means applications for shale gas developments in national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty, world heritage sites and the Broads should be refused other than in “exceptional circumstances and in the public interest”.

Welcoming the new guidance, Chris France, director of planning at the North York Moors National Park Authority, said: “We welcome the Government’s acknowledgement that fracking would fall within this category.”