The 22-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday after stopping work at the site of UK Coal's opencast mine at The Wrekin, near Wellington.

BBC: Protester charged after Wrekin mine disruption

He said Scottish Coal had been operating at an opencast mine in the area for 14 years and this latest development would see it continue for another eight years at least.

BBC: Loch Fitty in Fife to be drained and mined for coal

The company said the opencast mine was likely to yield about 100, 000 tonnes less coal than expected.

BBC: Wrekin coal mine expected to close in 2013