By Richard Whitehouse/LDR

Police had to be called to a Helston Town Council meeting after it was disrupted by climate change campaigners. Officers went to the town's Guildhall last night after Extinction Rebellion members forced the meeting to be adjourned.

The protesters were calling on a charity, Helston Downsland Charity of which some town councillors are trustees, to remove investments in fossil fuels. One of the campaigners was allowed to ask a question during a section of the meeting devoted to public questions.

However, the town council only allows 15 minutes for public questions and when the campaigner was asked to wind up her speech she refused to do so. As a result, the chairman turned off her microphone.

When this happened around 10 campaigners stood and removed their jackets and jumpers to reveal white vests with the word "divest" on them. Two of the campaigners unfurled a banner stating "End Fossil Fuels" with the Extinction Rebellion logo on it whilst the others held up newspapers and started humming.

Climate change campaigners at Helston Guildhall - they disrupted the town council meeting taking place inside and police were called (Image: Richard Whitehouse/LDRS).

The campaigners were invited to hand in letters that they had written for each councillor explaining their concerns. They were asked to sit down but said they wanted to put their points across.

One town councillor asked them to stop disrupting the meeting as there was a lot on the agenda which was important to Helston. He told the campaigners that they were making an important point and that the town council was willing to listen but also needed to conduct the business of the meeting.

Outside the Guildhall more campaigners had gathered with more banners and placards, they were also all wearing the white vests with "divest" written on them. The meeting in the Guildhall had to be adjourned whilst the room was cleared of protesters.

Police were called to the scene and said that 15 to 20 people left peacefully at around 8:15pm. No offences had been committed and no arrests were made.

Julia Schofield from Divest Helston, one of the protesters, said: "Spontaneous wildfires burnt down homes and businesses in several parts of the UK earlier this week, which senior firefighters in the north of England categorically said were caused by climate change. The fires spread so quickly and so ferociously that the firemen cannot put them out.

"We have to stop tinkering round the edges, and get to the root cause of these catastrophes which will damage us here in Cornwall as surely as they are killing people in Greece, France, Spain and Portugal. In Brittany, less than 200 miles from us here in Helston hundreds of people had to be evacuated as wildfires came near their homes. People are terrified. We have to stop it getting worse. Every pound the Downsland Charity and similar organisations invest in fossil fuels, makes their trustees knowingly culpable of this terrible climate destruction.

"It isn't going to be in 2050, it isn't going to be 2030 when it happens, climate change is here now and it's right at our door."