SIX campaigners from Bournemouth are among more than 400 climate change protesters who have been arrested in London since Monday.

Protests organised by the Extinction Rebellion group, which is demanding government acknowledges the "scale of the crisis" and enacts policies to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2025, continued yesterday.

Meanwhile, Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who says the activists "have no right to cause misery" has insisted police use the "full force of the law" when dealing with them.

The six Bournemouth protesters were arrested during the first two nights of the blockade on Waterloo Bridge.

Other sites in the capital affected by intermittent roadblocks include Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus and Parliament Square.

Two of the campaigners arrested, Chris Rigby and Alasdair Keddie, are standing as Green Party candidates in the looming Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (BCP) Council elections next month.

Chris said: "Climate change is an imminent threat to us all and as a long time climate activist, I have already tried alternative methods to raise awareness.

"The actions in London are a natural escalation in order to get the government to pay attention to how serious this threat is to us all.

"I do not take these steps lightly, but our politicians are not doing enough to react to the seriousness of the climate and ecological emergency we are facing."

Kitty Stewart, one of the founding members of the Bournemouth and Dorset Extinction Rebellion group, was also arrested.

She said: "Protesting in London with Extinction Rebellion has been one of the most humbling experiences I’ve ever had. People from all walks of life are joining us, supporting us, helping us block the roads and risking arrest.

"We have already achieved the act of communicating with the world why we are here and what kind of emergency we are facing, so now we are waiting for a response from our government."