PROTESTERS were arrested for stopping traffic on main roads in Weymouth and Dorchester today to raise awareness of the climate crisis.

Two people took to King Street, Weymouth and Trinity Street, Dorchester at 11am today, sitting in the road to hold up traffic as part of a national Extinction Rebellion protest.

One of the alleged protestors said they were particularly keen to draw awareness to the issue of sea level rise - and how this will affect the local community.

As reported, areas of the town are projected to be submerged by 2050 - affecting jobs, homes and the local economy.

As they sat in the way of oncoming traffic, protesters risked their lives in order to speak out about Government "inaction" on climate - two years on from Parliament’s declaration of an environment and climate emergency.

Meanwhile, around the country, hundreds have been staging similar actions as lockdown rules began to lift in the UK - part of an approach developed during the Covid-19 pandemic by members of Extinction Rebellion.

An XR spokesman said: "As we emerge from the devastation of Covid-19, the UK Government is telling the public it has the climate and ecological crisis in hand. With the eyes of the world on the UK - the hosts of the COP26 climate summit - the Prime Minister claims the government is committed to ‘building back greener’ from the pandemic. "However, in the past 6 months, £27bn has been invested in new roads and the Heathrow expansion ruling was overturned."

He added: "Inaction on climate breakdown is not just being seen at national government level, here in Dorset our local council recently blocked a motion from councillors seeking to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill.

READ MORE: Dorset Council accused of gagging debate over Local Plan and climate emergency

“This demonstrates yet again, that two years on from declaring a climate and ecological emergency Dorset Council still do not speak or act like there is a crisis, and have outright failed to communicate the problems, challenges and the solutions to residents, businesses and organisations in Dorset.”

Another added: “Our government knows the science and still no action.”