Cuadrilla has vowed to revive its shale gas ambitions within days despite an eleventh hour bid to scupper the plans as Government lends fresh support to frackers.

The fracking firm dismissed the last-ditch appeal to block drilling at its Lancashire shale site as “hopelessly weak” and vowed to press ahead within days.

The temporary injunction, brought against Cuadrilla by a Lancashire anti-fracking campaigner, will be in place until a court hearing on Wednesday where the firm will “vigorously defend any call for an injunction”.

A statement from the company said the latest legal challenge “is clearly a last ditch attempt” to delay Cuadrilla’s efforts “to find a new source of much needed natural gas for the UK”.