Road protesters are pledging to dig themselves in to stop a bypass being built through woodland in West Sussex.

About 12 campaigners have begun building treehouses, aerial walkways and tunnels at a camp in woods at Tortington Common, near Arundel.

The proposed Arundel bypass would cut through woodland at Tortington Common and nearby Binsted Wood if it wins government backing.

Campaigners said the road would ruin one of only two large areas of surviving ancient woodland in the coastal plain of West Sussex.

More camps are planned along the route of the proposed bypass.

Protester Leif Reid-McClaren said: "If everybody who says they are coming down does, we will possibly have more than 200 people here."

Campaigners have started digging shafts into the ground, as deep as the person who will stand in them, where protesters will attach themselves to concrete.

The mini-tunnels will be topped by petrol-filled radiators, to prevent bailiffs from using power tools, and then tied to the neck of the person below.

When eviction comes some protesters will make for larger tunnels, already being dug. Others will climb high into the trees, heading for tree houses and rope walkways, where construction is well advanced.

Mr Reid-McClaren said: "We don't mind people knowing how committed we are."

Most of the timber and rope and some of the climbing equipment has been given to the protesters by Arundel-based businesses.

A veteran of the Newbury bypass protests, who calls himself Sarge, said he wanted to stop the A27 being turned into the so-called South Coast Superhighway.

He said: "I don't think there could have been a worse possible route."

The proposed Arundel bypass, following an arcing route to the south of the town, is included in road-building proposals for the Sussex coast.

Tuesday June 24, 2003