FEARS that an energy firm were about to start drilling in search of shale rock after it was disclosed the energy firm had taken out exploratory licenses in both East Hampshire and Sussex have been quashed for now.

Celtique Energie spokesman Carl Smith said it would be concentrating on the Fernhurst site in West Sussex, but "couldn't rule out" the possibility that at some future date it might be looking at sites in Hampshire.

He said his company had obtained four licences from the Department of Energy and Climate Change which covered large areas of Hampshire and Sussex.

For full story, see this week's Liphook Herald.