Druid continues Stonehenge protest

2:40pm Friday 8th August 2008

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A SENIOR druid is gaining worldwide attention as his protest at Stonehenge continues into its second month.

Demonstrating on behalf of the Council of British Druid Orders, King Arthur Pendragon has vowed to remain at the site, living in his caravan, until the historic site is opened fully to the public.

He said: "I've been here five weeks now. I'm very cold and very wet but I'm staying here."

"I'm getting a lot of response from foreign tourists. They agree with me and say it's too expensive."

Pendragon, 54, has been camping close to the World Heritage Site since the Summer Solstice on June 21 and is hoping his protests will encourage the Government to remove the fences around the monument, build a tunnel under the A303 and grass over the A344.

He said: "The thing that really annoys me is that not only have they spent so much money on public inquiries and doing nothing with it, but it is a sacred site. It's not a cash-cow."

A public inquiry was set up in 2004 to look at ways of improving the traffic flow in and around the Stonehenge area.

Among the many options that were discussed were a new dual carriageway and a 2.1km bored tunnel.

The plans were scrapped in December last year after ministers decided the costs, which had spiralled from £223m to £470, could not be justified.