Two eco-warriors were today due in court after a protest camp set up to defend woods in Hockley was raided by police and security guards.

Seven eco-warriors, including teenager Christiana Tugwell, were arrested yesterday lunchtime and taken to Rayleigh police station.

Just one campaigner, known only as Kermit, remains at the site off Wood Avenue and Etheldore Avenue.

He spent the whole of last night locked onto the branches of a tree despite attempts to talk him down.

Christiana was charged with preventing workers from legally carrying out their jobs and was released on bail early today.

Two other protesters were charged with causing criminal damage and were due in court today. The other four eco-warriors were released without charge.

Up until yesterday morning three campaigners, who were fighting to stop developers Countryside Residential building 66 luxury homes on the area, were at the camp.

They included Christiana, who quit school to join the protest, Owen Kebbel and Kermit.

There are claims and counter claims being lobbed from each side as to how the protesters left the camp.

Maria Tugwell, Christiana's mother, said: "I was told Christiana went onto land which she thought was an extension of the land they had been camping on.

"A security guard told me she tried to throw herself on a chain saw and she was arrested and taken to Rayleigh police station. The developers tried to cut the trees down. I feel very upset and depressed."

Bosses of Countryside Residential are believed to have been in talks with Christiana and tried to persuade her to leave the camp.

Mrs Tugwell said her daughter had been told that if she did not go the houses would be built around her.

Yesterday the developers starting clearing the land around the camp and Christiana called on eco-warriors from a nearby camp in Golden Cross Road, Ashingdon, for help.

She was arrested before making it to the tunnel she had built to hide in.

But Chris Crook, managing director of Countryside Residential North Thames, claimed Christiana "gave up" and went willingly.

He was also adamant Christiana could not have got close to a chainsaw.

He said: "She's left the camp and can't come back.

"We have had to do everything by the book over this issue and be whiter than white."

"She went with police then another protester, Owen, also agreed to leave. We are left with one protester locked onto a tree. We can't cut down preserved trees. We are not allowed to nor would we want to."

Eco-warrior Storm said seven people had been arrested and taken to Rayleigh police station.

He confirmed Kermit had locked himself onto the tree and was not going to come down.

A fire crew from Leigh was called to the scene last night to make sure Kermit was safe and was not in danger of falling out of the tree and injuring himself.

In answer to claims protesters were being fenced in Mr Crook said they had set up camp on two parcels of land.

The protesters left one of the camps and once no one was on it Mr Crook said the developers were legally allowed to undertake "self help" and renew the fencing.

Chief Inspector Bottrill from Rayleigh police said: "Further protesters arrived from outside the camp and tried to gain entry to the site. They were seen to cause damage to the perimeter fence as they tried to get in.

"Officers attended and received reports that security staff were being pelted with stones. One was allegedly urinated on from a tree by a protester. Two people were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage to a fence and four others were arrested for violent disorder.

"There were further developments throughout the day and police were called a number of times. One other protester allegedly attempted to prevent the workmen carrying out their lawful business which is an offence under the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act.

"Later on we received information that two protesters were left on the site. One left of his own free will while another who was padlocked to a tree had asked to be freed. We have made it quite clear all along that we will deal with crime and public disorder offences but we are not there to act as bailiffs.

"We understood that criminal offences were taking place and we were at the site to uphold the law."

Video evidence was also being studied by detectives today.

Mum's support for warrior girl

The mother of 15-year-old Christiana Tugwell is not sure what her daughter will do next.

Maria Tugwell, who lives in Wood Avenue - just a stone's throw away from the site of her daughter's protest camp - is disappointed Christiana did not have time to make it to the tunnel she and fellow eco-warriors had created to hide out in when the time came for them to be removed.

Maria said: "I don't know what she will do know. I suppose she may decide to lay low for a while."

The camp was set up on July 26 last year following a decision by Rochford District Council to allow 66 luxury homes to be built on the former plotlands site off Etheldore Avenue and Wood Avenue in Hockley.

Developers Countryside Residential have been trying to get Christiana and fellow eco-warriors who joined her off the area and High Court writs and injunctions from each side followed.

The problems came to a head on February 20 when local residents and protesters staged a demonstration after claims security guards refused to allow people to take food and supplies to the eco-warriors who were fenced inside.

A legal agreement was reached between the two sides and food was allowed to be taken to the site by only two people at a time.

Mrs Tugwell, whose home is on the border of the fenced-off area, faced a daily nightmare as she had to rely on security guards at the gates to allow her access to her property.

She claims the guards did not tell her when people came to visit.

When Echo reporters tried to get to her home the guards said she was not in, when in fact she was there.

To get in and out without fuss she had to use a footpath from nearby Branksome Avenue and cut through muddy woods.

Maria said: "I have had to go through security gates to get access to my own property.

"Although Wood Avenue is not a proper road it has been used as a public right of way for more than 40 years."

She added: "We have stuck to the rules and I made sure when the agreement was made about only two people at a time could take food to the camp I made people stick to it.

"I made up signs saying 'Welcome to Beckney Zoo, only feed the animals two at a time'.

" But they started to tighten the screws."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.