ANTI-nuclear campaigners have been evicted from derelict farm buildings on the site of the proposed Hinkley C nuclear power station.

Security staff employed by developer and landowner EDF Energy moved in early on Wednesday morning after being granted a possession order and an injunction order from the High Court earlier in the week.

Two of the occupiers - Theo Simon of South West Against Nuclear and Taunton man David Jesse - were arrested by police after refusing to leave the site.

The seven protesters had taken up residence in Langborough Barn in a bid to stop EDF starting work on clearing the 400-acre site earmarked for the proposed new power station.

The farm buildings are due to be demolished as part of the works, which were given planning permission by West Somerset Council last year.

But both sides appeared to be claiming victory after the eviction - EDF said it was pleased to be granted both possession and injunction orders, while campaigners from Stop Hinkley claimed the court's decision to throw out a separate application for a further injunction was a victory for free speech.

Although EDF was granted orders against the seven named and "unnamed" occupiers of Langborough Barn - including an order which bans them indefinitely from all EDF-owned land at the Hinkley site - the judge refused to grant a second injunction which would have prevented any further protests being organised or held at Hinkley by all members of certain anti-nuclear groups.

The judge's decision is believed to have come as no surprise to EDF but was deemed to be a useful step in case of future protests on the site

But Crispin Aubrey of Stop Hinkley said the judge's decision to refuse the wider injunction was a clear victory for anti-nuclear campaigners.

He said the judge had found no evidence that campaigners were trying to encourage illegal activity by trying to drum up support for events opposing the development of Hinkley C.

He also criticised EDF for going ahead with work to prepare the site even before permission had been granted to build another power station.

In a statement to the court Mr Aubrey said: "We defend our right to free speech and the right to protest at actions which we consider promote an energy source which is hazardous to the local population and environment, uneconomic and not needed.

"We feel EDF's attempt to seek an injunction against us is ill-conceived and intended to intimidate us from acting in a way that is contrary to their interests."

But a spokesman for EDF said: "The High Court granted a possession order and injunction order in relation to the people camping on ground at the proposed Hinkley C construction site.

"This is a sensible decision which will allow us to proceed with our development for what we hope will be the first new nuclear power station in the UK for more than 20 years.

"High Court enforcement officers employed by EDF Energy undertook the removal today with the police present to ensure public safety and to maintain order."

Protester Mr Simon - who is now banned from all EDF land at Hinkley together with local campaigner Nikki Clark, Mr Jesse and "others unnamed" - climbed into the rafters of one of the barns in a bid to prevent his eviction.

He claimed he was trying to protect hibernating bats but was subsequently arrested for his actions.

Mr Simon said: "We are all that is left between this beautiful habitat and corporate bullies EDF.

"This preliminary work must be stopped and there must be a full investigation into how these planning decisions have been made and implemented, at both the national and local level."

EDF's injunction specifically bars the seven illegal occupiers of the barns from setting foot on its land in the future and the firm is believed to be working on identifying the remaining, so-far unnamed, four protesters.