A GROUP of protesters, dressed in white boiler suits and gas masks, turned up at a west Cumbrian town to protest against a planned coal mine in the area.

The Cumbrian Extinction Rebellion group staged their protest outside the site of the proposed mine in Whitehaven on Tuesday.

At the same time Extinction Rebellion London activists dropped stink bombs and let off green flares in the offices of Lloyds of London, the company expected to insure the Cumbrian mine.

One of the Cumbrian protesters, Gwen Harrison, said the government "now needs to try and persuade the rest of the world to take drastic action, while at the same time considering a new coal mine that experts say is completely incompatible with tackling the climate crisis.

"The hypocrisy, and contempt for science, is shocking.

"We demand that the Government acts on its rhetoric and stops the Cumbrian coal mine."

The mine was originally approved by Cumbria County Council, but was then postponed to be considered by a public inquiry in September 2021.

The Mayor of Copeland, Mike Starkie, said: "Extinction Rebellion have got nothing new to add to this debate.

"When the evidence has been presented at three planning hearings, on each occasion, the mine was given the go ahead.

"I'm confident that when the evidence is presented, the inquiry will recommend that the mine proceeds.

"Extinction Rebellion must have a lot of time on their hands to waste, because if they had been following this at all, protesting in Whitehaven is hardly going to benefit them because the vast majority of people in Copeland and Whitehaven support this mine."

The UK will be hosting this year's United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).

Mr Starkie added: "Our Prime Minister can get up on that stage and state quite proudly that the United Kingdom is lowering climate emissions faster than any other leading economy in the world.

"I welcome any jobs into the area, but this is £160 million in private investment, which is welcome at any time.

"Particularly on building back the economy after the Covid-19 pandemic, private investment into our area is more welcome than it's ever been."