Campaigners ‘break into Aldermaston site’

Anti-nuclear campaigners have broken into an atomic weapons factory site as part of a week of protests, they claimed today.

The demonstrators camped outside the perimeter fence at AWE Aldermaston, Berkshire, which makes the warheads for Trident missiles, claim to have breached security at the site on two consecutive nights.

Campaigners said they climbed the perimeter fence and explored the site until they were caught by Ministry of Defence police and escorted back outside the fence last night.

One person was arrested in connection with the protest, Thames Valley Police said, but a spokesman said he had no details of the offence.

He refused to confirm campaigners’ claims that eight people were arrested for criminal damage on Thursday night after a break-in.

The protest, organised by Trident Ploughshares, was today continuing with a march and mock trial of the chief executives of British Nuclear Fuel, Serco and Lockheed-Martin, which runs the factory.

Campaigners accuse the groups of conspiracy to commit murder abroad and are planning a vigil outside the site’s main gate tomorrow.

They are set to be joined by CND protesters on Monday, when they intend to blockade the site.

A Trident Ploughshares spokesman said: ‘‘We are encouraged with how well our disarmament week has gone so far.

‘‘We are looking forward to causing as much disruption as possible on Monday to the illegal work of this factory for indiscriminate weapons of mass destruction.’’

Similar protests by the pressure group in May last year led to 42 arrests when campaigners chained themselves to fences and blocked entrances to the factory.