Banbury residents among the 60,000 people who took to the streets of London demanding more action on climate change

Residents from Banbury were among about 60,000 people who took to the streets of London to demand more action on climate change.

More than 200 groups met on the streets of the capital from Friday April 21 to Monday April 24, as part of The Big One event.

Among them was Jane Rogers from Banbury's branch of Extinction Rebellion (XR). She spoke to a few other people who came took the train down from Banbury to make their voice heard.

Sophie Parker-Manuel was on her first ever protest with XR. She said: "I was there on Friday when I joined a picket outside the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. I went back on Saturday with my family for the biodiversity march.

"I was really impressed with how relaxed it was. The atmosphere was great, there were lots of stewards. There were police officers dotted around the route in pairs.

"There were people of all ages, and lots of people dressed up as animals. It all went smoothly and was entirely peaceful. I hope that the government take note that there is a groundswell of public support for a swift move away from fossil fuels, and that they take action now.

"There was a 'die in' when we all lay down in the road (which was already closed for the march), and we heard a siren, so everyone got up and out of the way so that a fire engine could get through. When it had passed we lay down again, then carried on with the march. It was really encouraging to see so many people there!

Fellow protester Melissa Zuydam said: "I am in my fifties and this is the first protest I’ve ever attended. We all need to wake up and demand urgent action on climate change - this glorious planet we take for granted is in peril. We have the solutions, so where is the political backbone to implement them?"

Former town councillor Steve Kilsby was also at the event. He said: "On arriving in London, what was noticeable was (a) the numbers of like-minded souls all heading towards the same destination and (2) how peaceful and quiet we all were; there were no outbreaks of mass chanting or singing - much less, of violence.

"We proceeded to Parliament Square, where stalls had been set up, and the headed then for Great Smith Street, where we were to join a picket outside the Department for Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The interesting thing was that the demonstrations (at all the "pickets" set up outside each major Government Department, as far as I could tell), were led by drumming.

"There was a little chanting, but the very professional and exciting drumming led the way, and built up the atmosphere. This was also true in the large march we joined from Parliament Square towards Victoria later on.

"It was a very colourful, exciting and engaging experience, demonstrating terrific solidarity, and hopefully getting strong messages across to the Government offices and civil servants about the need to address the climate change crisis now!"