Rochford tree protest: Essex Police investigate gun incident

Protesters have vowed to continue demonstrating at an oak tree despite saying they were shot at.

Essex Police said the occupants were seen holding weapons in a vehicle driving along Ashingdon Road, Rochford, at about 16:00 GMT on Tuesday.

A woman told the BBC that two passengers each fired a gun once, but that the type of firearm, and whether it was loaded, was unclear.

The demonstrators were protesting against plans to fell the tree.

The 62-year-old woman from Rochford, who did not want to be named, said the front and back seat passengers both fired, which let off a "loud crack" sound.

"All you could see was a muzzle pointing at you and I ducked," said the woman, who was with two other female demonstrators at the time, aged 79 and 81.

"It was very surreal."

The women at the site told the BBC there were shouts of "cut down the tree" from the passing car.

The Save the Holt Farm Oak Tree group have had a presence at the site since October.

The group said a protester had slept on a wooden platform in the branches each night, although this routine had been disrupted by illness since Christmas.

Developer Bloor Homes has planning permission to design a new junction and build 662 homes.

A High Court injunction, making it illegal to deliberately obstruct the tree felling, was due to take effect from 6 February.

Leanne Dalby, a 42-year-old IT recruiter who attended the court hearing, said the demonstration would continue, although she promised not to breach the injunction.

"We're just taking it day-by-day and in the background we're working on loads and loads of things, putting pressure on the councils," she said.

Essex Police said it was investigating a "number of lines of inquiry" including the "proximity of the incident to an ongoing protest".

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]