Four protestors will remain in prison over Christmas after appearing in court accused of causing damage worth more than £500,000 at a factory in a rural town which shut down a secondary school and major trunk road.

Susan Bagshaw, aged 65, of Clawdd Helyg, Commins Coch, Morwenna Grey, aged 41, of Penrallt Street, Machynlleth, Ruth Hogg, aged 39, of Stanley Road, Aberystwyth, and Tristan Dixon, aged 34, of Osprey Drive, Netherton, Huddersfield, were arrested following the break-in at Labtech in Presteigne as part of a protest by political group Palestine Action.

All four will remain in custody charged with conspiring to cause damage and conspiring to commit burglary until they appear at Mold Crown Court on January 6, 2023. The defendants did not enter pleas, but their solicitors indicated that they would be entering not guilty pleas to the offences.

The magistrates’ reasons for not granting them bail included that the group may potentially commit other offences, and for their own personal safety.

Welshpool Magistrates’ Court was told that protestors were found masked and dressed in overalls with tools, hammers, angle grinder, smoke bombs and a fire extinguisher containing red paint.

More than 25 windows had been broken, as were computers and monitors, and two large machines worth more than £500,000.

The court heard that an angle grinder had been used to cut through to the roof.

Sara Worland, prosecutor, told the court: “A number of staff were present and many of them distressed.

“Smoke bombs were set off and staff were told to leave because the chemicals may be harmful if they remained in the rooms.

"It could have caused a significant environmental incident and significant risk to life and potentially catastrophic.

“The business has been unable to operate given the full extent of the damage caused. Products have been significantly damaged

“The impact on local jobs with many members of the community employed at the factory are unable to operate at present.”

Solicitors for the protestors stated that the protest was a “peaceful, well-thought-through targeted action to get their message across”.

Protest group Palestine Action claimed that the factory makes parts that support the Israeli military, and responded to the four being remanded by calling for their release and saying it "vows to continue to disrupt the war machine until Palestinians are also free”.