EXTINCTION Rebellion in Ludlow, Bishops Castle and Clun Valley took their protest to the offices of MP and former minister Philip Dunne.

”I’m doing this because Ludlow is just one small town and it has already suffered from the disastrous consequences of weather and climate change,” said Linda Senior from the local group.

“Our MP’s need to sign this Bill as it strengthens the actions needed urgently to combat this, and will give the people a voice.

“Up to now they’ve really just tinkered around the edges and it’s time to take it really seriously. That’s what this Bill does.”

As Extinction Rebellion’s September protest gathers momentum in major cities, and the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill reaches parliament, members of local climate action groups, including Extinction Rebellion and South Shropshire Climate Action placed a row of deckchairs outside Philip Dunne’s Ludlow office, warning of a ‘Titanic-like Climate Catastrophe’ and urging him to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill.

The Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill was a Private Member’s Bill, introduced by Green Party MP Caroline Lucas. It proposes radical measures to deal with the escalating climate emergency.

Extinction Rebellion would like to see the issue discussed by a Citizens Assembly.

But they say that MPs are wary of a Citizens’ Assembly, because they fear it would undermine parliament but the environmental campaigners say that this would not be the case.

It would provide the input it needs to tackle this dire emergency.

They old ways of governing simply can’t cope - not without help.

Mr Dunne is Chairman of the Environmental Audit Committee that has the job of holding the Government to account and is a cross party group.

Activists from Extinction Rebellion have been involved in protests around the country and attracted criticism when they blockaded newspaper print works and stopped some papers being distributed.

They were active with placards on the A49 in Ludlow in order to draw attention to what they see as the need to stop the use of fossil fuels.

Last year a group from Ludlow and the Marches travelled to London to take part in a week of activities including protesting at the offices of major companies and financial institutions.

There was a well attended demonstration in Ludlow town centre last autumn.