President Bush's son of star wars has neutralised its first targets in Yorkshire even before the British government has given the formal go-ahead for the RAF Fylingdales base on the Yorkshire moors to be used for the project. By Paul Brown and Nigel Burnham.
The upgrading of the security and surveillance systems at the base, in preparation for an onslaught of peace protesters objecting to the scheme, is knocking out the electrical systems of expensive cars. Visitors to the moors' beauty spot of Goathland have found themselves trapped among its charms.
High-power radar pulses trigger immobilising devices in many makes of cars and motorcycles - BMW, Mercedes and Jeep among them. Many have had to be towed out of range of the base before they can be restarted.
The RAF admits it's a problem but says it is down to the car makers to change their frequencies. However, Jeep claims this is not possible because of government restrictions.
Either way the locals are not amused. Frank Doyle, who owns a shop called Bazaar in the nearby coastal resort of Whitby, makes regular deliveries to the Goathland area in his Mercedes Vito van. "I've got stuck three times in less than two weeks," he says. "I have to keep calling breakdown services to get out of the place.
"I'm very fed up with it. It's not just the inconvenience - it messes up the business and my social life. Now when I'm on deliveries I keep the engine running, but still can't visit friends who live near Fylingdales."
North York Moors National Park car park attendant Bill Peirson said that Jeep Cherokees, Mercedes cars and vans, and BMWs seemed to be worst affected. "As soon as the alarms go off, I go over to the owners and explain it's probably the Fylingdales radar that's caused it. A bike alarm screamed all afternoon recently and the rider didn't have any breakdown cover."
- Guardian Service