Farmers blockade Somerset depot in milk row

More than 100 people and 15 tractors blocked entrances to a Muller Wiseman distribution centre in Somerset in a dispute over milk prices.

Dairy farmers protested on Tuesday evening in Bridgwater over a drop in the price they are paid for milk.

A spokesman for Farmers for Action said there was "frustration" at milk prices and "that shows in the numbers there".

Avon and Somerset Police said the protest was peaceful and broke up at about midnight.

In October, the same group held a protest at the nearby Morrisons depot.

James Hole, a dairy farmer from Wedmore and part of the Farmers for Action team in Somerset, said they "wanted to get bosses out from behind their desks".

"I feel they are being short-sighted. We run a business that relies on them, and they run a business that relies on us. We need to find common ground.

"It's clear that there's serious frustration and we don't want to upset the public but we want to get our message through that we can't produce at less than the cost of production."

A spokesman for Muller said: "Illegally halting the operations of dairy processors does nothing to tackle the reason for the decline in the value of farm-gate milk.

"It has a substantial cost to the taxpayer in policing and it stops hundreds of employees from doing their jobs."

Muller said the drop in milk prices was down to increased production and a "weak global market" but Farmers for Action denied this was the case.