The flare stack at Cuadrilla’s former fracking site near Blackpool was removed this lunchtime.

Opponents of Cuadrilla’s shale gas operation recorded the moment at the Preston New Road site, where work is underway to decommission two wells and dismantle equipment.

The flare stack was used to burn gas extracted from the wells during the fracking and testing phases of Cuadrilla’s operation.

There were two flares until just over three years ago. On 22 February 2022 one of the flares was no longer visible above the site’s noise barrier.

The flare removed today has been part of the local view since 2018.

Early this morning, the site was photographed with the remaining flare in place.

At lunchtime, the flare was no longer part of the local landscape.

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