ACTIVISTS who were evicted from Yorkley Court Farm near Lydney on Thursday re-occupied the land overnight.

Contractors who turned up on site on Friday morning to carry out an order by the court and meet an condition of a planning permission to return the land to the state it was previously were met by activists who had barricaded themselves in.

Firefighters from Lydney were called to the scene after a contractors’ welfare unit was set on fire.

Inspector Steve Chester, who is based at Coleford, said: "They got back in and have barricaded themselves in."

Police with shields were called to the 180-acre farm and the main road between Yorkley and Lydney was closed for the second day in succession.

The scene was monitored by the police helicopter.

A neighbour told the Review that lights were seen on the farm in the early hours of Friday morning.

An eviction order was carried out on Thursday by bailiffs acting on behalf of businessman Brian Bennett who has planning permission to build a solar farm on the site.

One of the residents, who identified himself only as Stephen, said: "The eviction was a swift and petty destruction of a thriving community which wanted to develop sustainable ways of life in the face of environmental destruction. We lived for the land and for each other."

"This action was not in the public interest. The intent and worth of the community is aptly illustrated by the fact that the Dean Forest Food Hub Ltd, a volunteer-based community organisation originally set up at and partially run from Yorkley Court, has reached the finals of Radio 4’s food and farming awards 2016.