Just Stop Oil protesters leave Grays tunnel after 13 days

Three protesters were arrested after they left the tunnel, police said

Climate activists have ended a 13-day occupation of a tunnel dug beneath a road in Essex.

Three Just Stop Oil campaigners were in the tunnel under St Clements Way in Grays, where they had been protesting against what they see as government inaction over climate change.

They left voluntarily at about 15:35 BST, Just Stop Oil said.

Essex Police said three men were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and criminal damage.

The force said a cordon was in place and work to fill the tunnel would "commence shortly".

Just Stop Oil is calling on the government to end new oil and gas projects in the UK. The tunnel was below a key delivery route for the nearby oil terminal.

Sam Johnson, 39, a groundworker from Suffolk, was in the tunnel and said the recent heatwaves in the UK and flooding in Pakistan highlighted the need for action.

"This is the reality of climate collapse and it is happening right here in the UK, it is happening all around the world and it is happening now," he said in a statement published by Just Stop Oil.

"That is why we need to act now."

Ch Supt Simon Anslow said the recent protests, which were also held at service stations, had required a "huge amount of resources" from police.

"Over the course of the last fortnight we have made more than 60 arrests and worked hard with our partners to keep disruption to our local community and businesses to a minimum and keep Essex moving," he said.

"This work has required a huge amount of resources and has diverted officers from other duties such as the prevention and investigation of burglary, robbery, sexual, and violent crime.

"We are not anti-protest but will take action where the law is broken or people's safety is put at risk."

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [e-mail]