Protesters face fine for rail incident

Environmental protesters who tied themselves to a Christchurch rail track at the weekend disrupted coal trains and cost Solid Energy about $200,000, says the company.

Three people attached themselves to tracks at the entrance to the Heathcote Valley train tunnel on Saturday to protest against the planned Happy Valley open-cast coal mine in the Upper Waimangaroa Valley.

Police said the three would appear in the Christchurch District Court.