Fracking . . .

his afford to heat their homes,” said the Fr e e K i r k preacher.

“If fracking will result in cheaper and more abundant energy then I am all for it.

“If the science and technology is good then I see no problem with it.”

Mr Robertson said he would not support the practice if it caused water pollution and “turned toilets into flamethrowers” – but hewasnot aware of any evidence of that.

The Most Rev David Chillingworth, primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, said people had environmental concerns about fracking despite the “lure” of cheaper energy.

“It's a throwback – a movement back to carbonbased f uels when we should be moving towards low-carbon,” he added.

“We must decide what is in the best interests not just of our generation but of fu- t ure generations.” A spokesman for the Church of Scotland said it was “sceptical” about fracking and the best way to cut carbon emissions was to embrace renewable energy and provide better insulation for homes.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said it recognised that shale gas may potentially provide an important future source of energy, and applications for production would be “determined on their merits”. More than 1,000 protesters staged a march yesterday to the drilling site at the centre of anti- fracking protests in the heart of the West Sussex countryside.

Activists from across the country banged drums, chanted and held aloft banners at Balcombe.

A stand-off developed between them and police who had formed a ring around the Cuadrilla drilling site.

Cuadrilla has been conducting exploratory oil drilling, but paused its operation over fears of unrest during the six-day Reclaim the Power camp, which began on Friday.

Although Cuadrilla is not conducting fracking, and would need to apply for permission, protesters fear the energy firm will go on to do so.

scene of a tense stand-off between protesters and police from across the country Ann Aitken, 48, nursery nurse, of Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen.