Shell has told locals living close to the site of the planned onshore pipeline that work on the next phase of the project will begin in the coming weeks.

GARDAÍ made four arrests as protesters continued to demonstrate yesterday against pipe laying in Broadhaven Bay for the Shell gas facility along the Mayo coast.

A massive security operation was under way in Co Mayo today as work on the final stages of energy giant Shell’s bitterly disputed gas refinery began.

MORE than 100 gardaí, backed by a similar number of private security personnel, were last night involved in a standoff with protesters opposed to Shell’s attempt to lay a pipeline connecting north Mayo to the Corrib gas field.

A small Irish coastal community was gripped in a massive security operation tonight to allow final offshore work to begin on energy giant Shell’s bitterly disputed gas refinery.