THE head of security at Sizewell B nuclear power station yesterday (Monday) told a court how he arrived at work to find five protestors chained together and blocking an approach road to workers.

THE head of security at Sizewell B nuclear power station yesterday (Monday) told a court how he arrived at work to find five protestors chained together and blocking an approach road to workers.

Philip Perry told Lowestoft Magistrates' Court that he arrived at the scene just before 8.30am on July 24, 2008, to find four women and a man locked together on the road, which he said was on private land owned by British Energy.

Melanie Harrison, 37, Peter Lux, 47, and 39-year-old Nicola Stickelles, all of Dunburgh Road, Geldeston, and Rebecca Dale, 35, of Rose Lane, Bungay, and Irene Willis, 64, of The Square, Tregaron, Wales, all deny the obstruction/disruption of a person engaged in a lawful activity.

Mr Perry told the court he was preparing to go to work when colleagues alerted to him to what was happening.

'It was a single road and there were four females and one male locked into yellow tubes,' he said.

'We class it as an approach road. From the main junction it goes straight up past Sizewell A entrance and continues up to Sizewell B entrance. British Energy owns the road.'

The court heard that workers trying to leave the site and those trying to gain access were prevented from doing so because of the protestors.

Mr Perry said: 'I myself, when I arrived, had to walk a considerable way down the highway. I had a five to eight minute walk to the main access point.'

Charles Kellett, prosecuting, said that as a result of the protest the power station went into a full lock down.

The court heard that the protestors had been removed by 11.15am but it took time to clear the backlog of traffic.

The trial continues today (Tuesday).