Protest held outside Breaston anti-abortion charity shop

The organiser of the peaceful protest said many people felt the shop was "not right" for the village

A pro-choice protest has been held outside a charity shop in Derbyshire run by an anti-abortion group.

About 50 people joined a demonstration outside the Life shop, in Main Street, Breaston, on Saturday.

Organiser Michelle Torr, whose petition opposing the opening has attracted more than 3,000 signatures, said it was "not right" for the village in Derbyshire.

But a charity spokesman said the shop would raise funds for "practical support programmes for women".

The charity Life said it raised funds to "help vulnerable women"

Life was set up in 1970 with the the intention of making abortion "a thing of the past".

According to its website it provides a number of services including three hospices, a pregnancy advice service and supported accommodation.

The new shop, which opened on Friday, is part of a national network of retail branches.

"They want to make abortion a thing of the past and take away a woman's right to choose. It is not right for the village, " said Ms Torr.

"The shop doesn't make it clear what the charity does and we are peacefully telling people exactly where their money will go."

'Quite shocked'

She said the peaceful protest had helped them inform people about the charity's work.

"A lot of people said they didn't know what the shop stood for so they were quite shocked by it," she added.

A Life spokesman said: "We raise funds for services which help vulnerable women.

"Our mission is made clear in the shops and we are proud of the work we do."

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Robin Osterley, from the Charity Retail Association, said: "Charity shops must state clearly which organisation they are raising money for.

"But there is no obligation for them to state what that organisation does - but most have that information readily on display."

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