NO further action will be taken against two men questioned over theft of thousands of litres of fuel from an underground Hampshire pipeline.

Officers are still trying to find out who siphoned off more than 30,000 litres of diesel from the pipeline which runs across the length of the county from Esso Fawley Refinery to Seisdon in Staffordshire.

The 130-mile Midline pipe serves Birmingham airport and provides vital petrol, diesel and aviation fuel for the country.

The investigation began when the owner of land at Mill Farm Industrial Estate in West Wellow discovered large quantities of the diesel and alerted police.

Two men, aged 32 and 34, both from Salisbury had been arrested in April on suspicion of conspiracy to steal fuel.

After months of investigation, officers will not be taking any more action against the pair.

Police, HM Revenue and Customs and other Government agencies are understood to be involved in the probe.

Hampshire police could not comment on any further lines of enquiry but added: β€œIt’s still an open investigation which will continue.”

The 14-inch Midline pipe is one of ten underground pipelines operated remotely from a control room in Staines.

Immediately following the discovery of the theft in April numerous agencies were called to the site as well as engineers from Esso.

Fire crews from Romsey, Eastleigh, Hightown and Southsea were at the farm and kept a watch as work continued to fix the breached pipe while specialist oil spill teams stood by as a precaution.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Lyndhurst CID on 101.