It was a crazy day yesterday. The Unknown Soldier.

So I was going to do another day of the dad about my kids as I quite enjoyed writing those but I have to share my experience from yesterday.

Yesterday I went on Facebook and seen a post saying that the drilling rig that is due to arrive at the fracking site in Lancashire, England, has left the destination where it had been stored and was on its way and it would be arriving in a hour and a half. I raced around, grabbed my camera and a couple of jackets and went up there.

When I arrived I was impressed at the two pallet towers that had been built the night before by the nightshift rigspotters, however was horrified to see one man locked to a scaffolding pole at the top of one of the towers by his neck. I was not horrified with regards to omg he could die, as these guys are not stupid, (I felt the tower and went half way up at one point passing things and they are pretty secure) but was just horrified in general with the feeling of "is this what it has come to, a man locked by his neck, 2017 we are in the UK".

Anyway I got chatting to a few on the ground and the rig and other trucks where been chased around the north west of the uk by spotters however the police where also doing their upmost to get it delivered by stopping cars behind trucks and holding them until the trucks got away.

This game continued for a good few hours and we was all expecting the rig to arrive any minute, and then around 6pm all the police, which totalled around 80 -100 just all packed up and left, every single officer. It was so weird, people racing around thinking it was a trap, chatting some saying do you think its ok for me to go home etc. The guys from the towers came down but hung around close by ready to get back up. Everybody stayed with a feeling of success and there was a party atmosphere which I dont think the police was expecting.

It was a trap, the police disappeared hoping most would go and leave a usual night crowd of 10-20, then they could return with the rig and easily get it in. All day they were saying the towers have to come down as they are a risk, and at one point they even tried undoing ropes that where tied around the bottom and then suddenly 6pm comes and the towers are no longer a risk. Fuck that everyone thought so we urged a mini camp to be set up infront of the gates, every brought from chairs and stuff from the other side of road and a fresh wire to be hung from tower to tower, the whole time police quietly driving past every now and again to see how things where progressing and relaying back to convoy. They knew it wasnt happening not today.

We later found out that the plan was to get the rig in at 6pm and when they failed, they even asked Lancashire Police to store the wagons on their headquarters grounds as it was close by and could easily accommodate vehicles of that size , but the chief copper refused on the grounds impartiality however I bet he was just worried about backlash from locals. We dont know where the rig ended up or when it will arrive, they have conditions on delivery times etc but the police allow them to flout the conditions when it suits. So the fight continues. Monday I reckon first thing, roads closed the lot 100-200 officers escorting vehicles. I'll be there lol but for now I will leave you with this image, an image I am naming The Unknown Soldier.

Please follow for more updates on the fracking struggles in lancashire or if you would like to watch live streams of the action on the gate during the weeks, search facebook and join the group Blackpool and fylde protection camps. show your support.