Four Extinction Rebellion protesters who chained their necks to the front of a high street bank are standing trial today.

The four activists stood outside the front of Barclays Bank in North Street, Brighton, to protest against the company’s investment in fossil fuels.

Susan Williams, 68, Nicola Harries, 68, Ian MacIntyre, 63, and John Kennedy, 44, are charged with obstructing or disrupting the “day-to-day business of Barclays Bank” including the access of customers.

The protesters, all from Brighton, had chains around their necks and held placards which read “save our planet” and “act now, stop funding fossil fuels”.

Extinction Rebellion said it was a “peaceful protest and we placed signs and had people directing customers to access the bank from the side entrance”.

The protesters were outside the bank from around 1pm and were arrested shortly after 4pm.

The trial takes place this morning from 10am at Brighton Magistrates’ Court.