Environmental protesters forced their way into Didcot Power Station early this morning and are now occupying the site.

More than 20 protesters broke into Didcot A — the coal-fired power station — at about 5am and are currently occupying the tall chimney and a coal conveyor.

The group met at the Camp for Climate Action earlier this year.

Nine members climbed the steps of one of the chimneys and said they will stay at the power station, run by RWE npower, for "as long as possible".

A further 13 are on the station's coal conveyer.

Protester Amy Johnson, a 20-year-old student from Oxford, said: "RWE npower have become at the forefront of trying to push for more coal, and want to build 30 more coal-fired power stations. We're here to tell them that can't possibly happen.

"The government is making a lot of noise about climate change, but they're not getting any results. They've made no steps to reduce carbon missions.

"We're planning on staying as long as possible. We've got food and water for at least a week, so we're going to be here for the long haul."

Sunita Patel, a spokesman for RWE npower, said: “We can confirm that approximately 20 people entered Didcot A Power Station by forced entry, some time before 5.30am this morning. At this stage, power generation is not affected.

“We are co-operating closely with the police and our priority remains the health and safety of staff and also protesters.

“Power stations are only safe working environments for people who are trained and supposed to be there.”

Police have been called to the site and are currently manning the entrance.

The break-in mirrors a similar incident on November 3, in 2006 when 25 environmental protesters broke into Didcot A.

They occupied part of the power station and painted “Blair’s Legacy” down the main 650ft stack, before surrendering to police.

The protest happened on the same day the then Prime Minister Tony Blair was visiting the county.

The demonstration cost RWE npower an estimated £690,000 by disrupting power generation at the coal-fired Didcot A part of the plant.

The Greenpeace campaigners were later fined almost £5,000.

Chief Supt Brendan O’Dowda, Oxfordshire area commander, said: “At about 5am police received reports that about 20 people had unlawfully entered the Didcot Power Station site and scaled a number of buildings.

“Police are working in partnership with site authorities to resolve the situation.”

RWE npower’s Didcot facility is host to two power stations — the 2,000 MW dual-fired A station and the 1,360 MW combined cycle gas turbine B station.

Together, the two power stations are capable of producing enough electricity to meet the needs of over three million people — equivalent to the demand of three counties the size of Oxfordshire.