Thousands of protesters marched outside the Labour Party conference in a campaign to stop the exploitation of workers in developing countries.

More than 5,000 people crammed on to the seafront for yesterday's Trade Justice demonstration after staging a carnival-like procession.

Crowds gathered in Madeira Drive before marching outside the security island that houses the conference, which includes the Brighton Centre, The Grand hotel and the Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel.

The march, headed by charities including the Fair Trade Foundation, Action Aid and Cafod, was led by a band of drummers wearing red cowboy outfits and a makeshift orchestra of people banging pots, pans and tin cans and ringing bells and blowing whistles.

They greeted delegates arriving for the conference with a their musical protest.

Hundreds of police, some of them armed, flanked the protesters but the demonstration was peaceful apart from two arrests.

One man was arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon and a woman was arrested under public order offences.

Police said the procession, from Regency Square to the Palace Pier, was 4,000-strong, although organisers estimated 10,000 to 12,000 took part.

Oxfam activist Anne Holderness from Seaford said she was thrilled at the high turnout, which included pensioners and babies in prams.

She said: "I'm here because I feel passionately about trade justice.

"A lot of the people here are from all the charities that are working for fair trade in the world.

"We in the northern hemisphere consumes far more than our share of the world's resources - the system of marketing is skewed in our favour.

"It is a carnival atmosphere here because we're celebrating that there is hope for a better world."

The protesters, who staged a two-minute silence before returning to their cheers and drumming, also voted in a ballot in favour of changing world trade laws to favour developing countries.

Mike Brady, from Cambridge, said: "It remains to be seen if we will be listened to but this protest shows people care about fair trade and want the Government to take it seriously."

Reverend Girling, 43, from Fareham said: "We need to actively work to benefit the world's poor.

"The West has got to be proactive because free trade does not bring fair trade."

The demonstration began to break up by late afternoon, leaving a handful of protesters on the seafront.