CLIMATE change campaigners marched into a busy shopping centre to protest against the excess of Christmas and in particular the Black Friday sales.

Members of Extinction Rebellion Colchester gathered in Culver Square shopping centre with placards and posters to engage with members of the public.

A group of Red Rebels, who have become synonymous with Extinction Rebellion’s global protests, greeted shoppers and travelled across the town centre during a procession.

Shoppers were invited to write their climate change pledge on a piece of paper before hanging it on the group’s Christmas tree.

Sue Woudstra, of Extinction Rebellion Colchester, said: “We are asking people to make a pledge to make a small change over the festive period such as buying less sprouts or recycling more.

“We are not looking for perfection, we all do things we shouldn’t be doing, but we can make a difference.”

Protesters were encouraging shoppers to try creative alternatives to spending their hard earned cash in the sales, with knitters, gardeners and painters ready to give advice on how to get involved.

There was also music from Colchester-based musicians.

Mrs Woudstra said: “As Christmas is such a stressful time of year and Black Friday is a relatively new thing in the UK we wanted people to have an opportunity to stop and think about their level of consumption.

“There is a lot of pressure from the media and from force of habit to spend a lot of money at this time of year.

“We are not saying do not buy anything we are just saying think carefully before you do, and maybe make a pledge about what you can do for the environment at the same time.”

She added: “The protests are about not letting our politicians forget action is needed, not words.”

Visit facebook.com/xrcolchester.