A mother from Frome was arrested during a Just Stop Oil slow march in London.

Ruth Cook, 71, (pictured) a retired company director and grandmother, was arrested last Thursday morning for breaching a Section 12 notice on Wormstreet Street and later taken to Bishopsgate police station. Cook, who in March was given a suspended sentence for glueing herself to the M4 near Heathrow Airport with Insulate Britain, could now face prison.

Speaking on the street, she said: “I am willing to go to prison for this. I am willing to do that because I am desperate – and some of us need to be arrested and go to prison so that our government takes notice.”

She joined a mums’ march on Shaftesbury Avenue with 23 others from the West Country, which resulted in the arrests of three women – two from Bristol and one from Bradford-on-Avon. During the march, which ended up in Hamleys toy store, the women held signs with slogans including “I am a mother, I won’t look away” and “give our kids hope”.

The action came amid reports that Europe’s record breaking heatwave has claimed its first life this summer, prompting health warnings for tourists.

Just Stop Oil supporters have completed up to seven marches a day, six days a week since 24th April. Over 800 ordinary people from all over the UK have taken part. Including arrests at the Coronation and cultural and sporting events there have been around 238 arrests this year.