New age traveller dies in blaze at protest site

An environmental protester has been found dead after her hut burnt down on a travellers' site.

The woman, who has not been named, was killed in a blaze that tore through a wooden hut on the protest site in Derbyshire.

She was believed to be part of a large group of New Age travellers settled near Bakewell in protest at quarrying in the area.

The woman's body was discovered by firefighters and police officers called to the site at Stanton Lees.

The blaze ripped through her wooden hut, which was built by protesters as part of a settlement at the site known as Nine Ladies' Corner. None of the other huts and tree shelters caught fire and no other people were injured in the blaze.

Police say the cause of the fire is still under investigation and would not confirm whether the blaze is being treated as suspicious.

A spokesman said: "Unfortunately a female was discovered last night in a wooden shelter. She was deceased. She has not been identified.

"The fire destroyed one of the wooden shelters. Investigators are going back to the scene this morning at first light to try to establish the cause of the fire."

The settlement was built around two years ago in protest at quarrying taking place on the site. The protest is now well established and a large number of New Age travellers live in the huts and treehouses.

Details of the woman's death have been passed to the coroner but she is not expected to be identified until all relatives have been informed.

Story filed: 07:53 Friday 8th March 2002