One man brought Bromley town centre to a standstill this morning, amid a series of protests by Extinction Rebellion across the country.

In a co-ordinated effort, XR members held single-person protests in town centres across the UK at 11am this morning (May 1).

Traffic was stopped for over an hour on Bromley High Street amid the peaceful sit-down protest, which saw police called to the scene.

Fletcher Horobin-Worley, 46, a gardener from Bromley, said: “Two years ago today the UK Parliament declared an environment and climate emergency.

"Yet in February this year the chief executive of the Environment Agency Sir James Bevan said the UK is hitting worst case environmental scenarios that if left unchecked would collapse ecosystems, slash crop yields, take out the infrastructure that our civilisation depends on, and destroy the basis of the modern economy and modern society.

Picture by Robert Painter

Picture by Robert Painter

"The Committee on Climate Change and the National Audit Office - who monitor the Government - are warning the public that the government’s climate plans are failing to materialise.

"They are still not taking this seriously. People need to step up and demand action."

Other protests also took place in southwest London this morning in Surbiton and New Malden, among many others across the country.

The protests have drawn a range of reactions across the capital - with some praising the bravery of individuals taking part, while others criticised them for disrupting other people's day.

XR said the individual actions are intended to be covid safe, but they also highlight the personal fears and vulnerability of everyday people to the consequences of climate and ecological breakdown.