ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners have invaded an isolated rocky outcrop in the Atlantic in an audacious bid to prevent oil exploration there.

Three Greenpeace activists plan to occupy the island of Rockall, 230 miles west of Scotland, to protest at plans to allow oil companies to drill in the surrounding waters.

The landing party and their tiny survival capsule were flown to the bare 60ft high rock by helicopter on Tuesday night and plan to stay until the Government backs down and stops development in the area.

The two men and one woman, named only as Al from England, Peter from Australia, and Meike from Germany will live in a yellow, 12ft by 6ft, egg-shaped capsule, secured to a ledge 40 feet above the waves.

Yesterday Al said: "The seas around Rockall, potentially rich in oil, are fought over by four nations - Britain, Denmark, Iceland, and Ireland. By seizing Rockall we claim her seas for the planet and all its peoples.

"No one has the right to unleash this oil onto our threatened climate. We will stay here until the British Government stops oil exploration and then they can have their rock back."

They will stay in touch with the MV Greenpeace, which is carrying supplies nearby, by solar and wind powered communications systems.

Mr Matthew Spencer, aboard the MV Greenpeace off Rockall, said the party would be able to survive for months on the inhospitable ledge because the boat would be nearby to send provisions.

Around 30 companies are exploring for oil in different parts of the Atlantic and oil from the first fields is due to begin flowing later this year.

Greenpeace have fought a long campaign to try and reverse the granting of exploration licences, arguing that the burning of more oil will speed up global warming The pressure group also applied to buy some of the licences so that it could control developments in those areas.

Rockall was claimed for Britain on September 18, 1955. It was annexed after the RAF opened a top-security rocket range on Benbecula, in the Western Isles.

No other country seemed interested in the rock until geologists discussed the possibility of oil in the surrounding seabed. Soon Denmark, Ireland and Iceland had made claims to the island.