PROTESTERS strapped themselves into lock-on tubes and handcuffed themselves to a bamboo structure as they blockaded a Herefordshire feed mill this morning.

The group of Extinction Rebellion protesters descended on the Avara feed mill in Allensmore at 6am today (July 25) in a bid to raise awareness of pollution in the river Wye, blocking lorries from entering the site.

Police were called to the site as traffic began to back up along the B4348 and A465 this morning, where they attempted to move protesters on.

Some of the protesters could be seen lying on the ground, blocking access, while two others had their arms strapped in to a lock-on tube. Another protester was handcuffed to a bamboo structure placed in the entrance to the mill by protesters.

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The items meant it was difficult for police to move protesters as it risked injuring them in the process, while those lying on the ground at the mill were eventually physically moved out of the way by officers.

Benjamin Bude, one of the protesters lying on the ground, said: “We were clear from the beginning that we would stop at 12pm. We put ourselves at risk. We have spoken to the manager of the site and hope that the disruption has lead to wider coverage of the issue.

Two protesters were also photographed by the Hereford Times blocking a lorry's path.

An XR spokesperson said they did so because the lorries coming into the site were skipping the decontamination point because they were coming quickly.

"This means the wheels are causing cross contamination from the different chicken farms and could spread avian flu," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said campaigners at the Hereford protest were not blocking the path of the lorries because they do not want to cause any stress for the animals coming into the site to be slaughtered.

Protester David Gillam said the the group has spoken to John Reid, agricultural director for Avara, and that the group is expecting an update on their plans to combat the issues the XR group are protesting about today.