Extinction Rebellion 'mourners' march through Oswestry

Over 100 people were expected to take part in the march, which was organised by Extinction Rebellion.

People marched through the town to beat of a drum as a coffin with the words The Natural World and Life on Earth was carried solenly at the front of the cortege.

Mourners accompanied the procession with songs of loss.

Robin Mager, from Shropshire Wildlife Trust, spoke at the event. He said: "We continue to lose our most precious remnants of wild natural space and vast numbers of our insects and birds. Our existing laws are too weak and the climate and ecological crisis we face is not being taken seriously enough. Urgent action is needed now to put nature into recovery and to address the climate emergency."

Ophelia Camp, from Extinction Rebellion, said: "Business as usual is destroying our planet’s capacity to sustain life and humanity faces a growing risk of societal collapse if we don’t take action soon."

Hele Steer, who helped organise the funeral march, said: "We urgently need to start acting on the truth about the climate and ecological emergency we are in. Some of us are willing and able to be arrested in order to get this message heard."

Cathy Allen, also of Extinction Rebellion, said: "We had this funeral march to express our grief and outrage at the loss of our precious wildlife, and the catastrophes our children and grandchildren will inherit.

"Through non-violent mass actions we hope to persuade governments to act sensibly in line with the truth."

Over 35 people from the Oswestry area will be going to London on October 7 to take part in mass acts of civil disobedience in the hope of action being take to avert climate disaster.