THE proposed ‘fracking’ in areas around Andover should be rejected.

Some wind farms are being rejected because of their visual impact but fracking has much greater risks.

The process involved extracting shale gas is complicated and environmental damage is inevitable.

To extract the shale gas, drilling takes place down to several hundred metres.

The underground rocks containing the shale gas is then fragmented by hydraulic pipes which uses and contaminates huge quantities of water.

Geologists and environmentalists believe there is a very real risk our underground water tables will be contaminated.

This would cause water shortages at a time when our population is increasing.

The area earmarked for drilling is criss-crossed with chalk streams which are contributors to our rivers.

R Searle