PRESSURE mounted this week on on South Downs National Park Authority to refuse the application by Celtique Energie to test drill for shale gas in West Sussex.

More than 140 residents packed into Fernhurst Village Hall, on Tuesday night for a special parish council meeting, to determine how it should respond.

There were more people than seats but the district's Tory MP Andrew Tyrie, national park authority planning director Tim Slane and planning committee chairman Andrew Shaxson, who were invited along as observers, failed to make an appearance.

For full story, see this week's Herald.