Now you see it now you don't. That was the reaction of a senior planning officer when he went to check out a ring of metal fencing designed to protect the Hillgrove cat farm.

The 10ft high "stockade" at Hillgrove, near Witney, was put up by Thames Valley Police - without planning permission.

But when planner Mark Chattoe went to investigate he found the structure had gone.

"I was quite amazed. Only the day before, I received a complaint and decided on a site visit. The thing certainly needed planning approval," said Mr Chattoe, deputy director of planning for West Oxfordshire.

The reinforced panels, topped by watch towers, were put up in April around farmer Chris Brown's buildings.

They were put up in the interests of public safety to cope with animal rights demonstrations.There have been two mass demos in the last six weeks More than £600,000 has so far been spent on policing the farm since protests started last year.

Mr Chattoe expects the fence to be back in place at future mass demos. "Strictly speaking, temporary planning consent is required, But if it is needed for public safety, then I'm sure it will go up again," he added.

Richard Goodfellow, Thames Valley Police press officer, said: "If we need to put it back up again in the interests of public safety we will.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.