Peace protesters from south Essex joined thousands of others demonstrating in London this weekend against Nato's war in Serbia.

A banner of the South East Essex Committee for Peace in the Balkans was paraded through the capital calling for an end to the bombing of the former Yugoslavian republic.

Bob Chapman, of Canvey, said: "We are here because we think our Government is wrong. I think Blair should show the courage to stop the bombing."

"There was a wave of opposition to Milosevic in Serbia. In Nis, where 15 civilians were killed in a cluster bomb attack on a market, the mayor was a democrat opposed to Milosevic. It can't be right to be bombing these people."

Around 15,000 to 20,000 people joined in the protest, organised by the Committee for Peace in the Balkans, an umbrella organisation for pacifistgroups.

They arrived in a Hyde Park to hear how Labour MP Tony Benn is "ashamed" by his party's stance and called for "fewer smart bombs and more smart leaders".

Academic Germaine Greer compared the bombing campaign to a punishment beating.

Pam Drever, of Benfleet, said: "We set up the committee to show that there was a force in our area that opposes the bombing, which is criminal, and that is why we have come here."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.