FRACKING could soon take place on Swindon’s doorstep, a Green MEP has said after the process was given the go-ahead in North Yorkshire.

A number of licences have been granted in Wiltshire, meaning companies could start drilling if they are given permission from the local authority.

Fracking involves drilling down, before pumping high pressured water in the ground to release natural gas.

Many see it as an efficient way for the UK to have its own reliable energy source while also providing a boost for the economy but there are fears about the impact on the environment.

In 2011, test drilling in Lancashire was halted after tremors were felt in the area. A subsequent study concluded it was highly likely the drilling was the cause.

Molly Scott Cato, the Green MEP for the South West and Gibraltar, has said the process must be halted.

She said: “This is the tip of the iceberg and we could now see the frackers begin their march across our beautiful region.

“In the South West, fracking would prove enormously costly not just for our precious environment and landscapes but also for a rural economy so heavily reliant on tourism.

“Some of our most fragile and treasured landscapes could become exposed to noise, air, light and water pollution.”

“Other European countries have taken a lead against hazardous fracking. France and the Netherlands have banned it and Scotland has imposed a moratorium.

“The UK government on the other hand continues with its fracking madness.”

Despite the protests, the Government has stood firmly behind fracking, saying it will provide energy security, jobs and economic growth.

Earlier this month, Andrea Leadsom MP, the minister for energy and climate change, said: “The UK’s regulations are some of the strongest in the world, and with over 50 years of successful and safe onshore and offshore oil and gas extraction.

“I am confident that the protections in place for the environment and for people are totally rigorous.

“Shale will only ever be developed in a safe way, for people and the environment, and will only take place in appropriate locations.”

Many of the sites which have been given a licence are in West Wiltshire, near Westbury and Trowbridge, but campaigners fear the environmental impact could be far-reaching.

In February, Wiltshire Council agreed to examine the details further before giving permission for fracking to begin on any sites.