An oil depot has been hit by environmental protesters blocking road access.

Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion blocked Buncefield Oil Depot in Hemel Hempstead,just before 4.15am today (April 1).

The activists werelocking themselves to a large structure and to a fuel tanker.

According to police, 17 people were arrested so far and it is planned that 10 more will also be arrested once safely removed.

Superintendent Sue Jameson said officers faced a "challenging situaiton".

ExxonMobil UK, one of the country’s largest privately-owned underground oil pipeline distribution networks, said it had shut down three of its sites due to the interruptions.

A total of 10 depots were targeted, as activists sat on the roads, preventing tankers from leaving the site – with most disruption seemingly at sites in Essex.

Just Stop Oil said in a statement: “The Just Stop Oil coalition is demanding an end to the Government’s genocidal policy of expanding UK oil and gas production and is calling on all those outraged at the prospect of climate collapse and suffering from the cost-of-living crisis to stand with us.

“Ordinary people can no longer afford oil and gas, it’s time to Just Stop Oil.”