SIX environmental campaigners have been arrested after a protest which shut down a coal rail depot in South Lanarkshire.

SIX environmental campaigners have been arrested after a protest which shut down a coal rail depot in South Lanarkshire.

Around 30 protesters from Coal Action Scotland blockaded the Ravenstruther terminal near Lanark, erecting and scaling a 15ft scaffolding tripod and blocking trucks from entering the terminal.

Others were locked by their necks to a conveyor belt and a bulldozer, preventing coal stockpiles from being loaded.

The three men and three women who are alleged to have entered the terminal were arrested by the British Transport Police and were due to appear at Lanark Sheriff Court today.

The demonstration aimed to stop coal being delivered from open cast mines, and show opposition to the 13 new open cast mines due to open in Scotland.

A statement from the protest group said the demonstrations would go on, adding: "This action is being taken to impact the operations of Scottish Coal and ScottishPower in the region."

Coal Action Scotland said it apologised to any workers affected, "but in recognising the desperate need to stop burning coal sees no other choice but to target the companies responsible for mining it".

Scottish Coal said that the action had resulted in the postponing of some coal trains, but stressed it would have no effect on coal supplies at power stations.