ANTI-nuclear protesters were out in force this morning to disrupt work at the Atomic Weapons Establishment sites in Aldermaston and Burghfield.

Peaceful protesters lay in the road chained and glued together with superglue at AWE entrances, including Tadley Gate, in Mulfords Hill, and in Paices Hill, to interrupt work on Trident nuclear warheads.

Over 200 protesters displayed signs and banners with messages such as "Make Trident History", "No Trident Future" and "Nuclear Free Future", and sang anti-nuclear songs.

The blockade was organised by protest group Trident Plougshares and supported by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and a number of other peace and Christian organisations.

Officers from Thames Valley Police, Hampshire Constabulary and the Ministry of Defence turned out in large numbers, some on horseback, to deal with the disruption.

Daniel Viesnik, media liaison for Trident Ploughshares, said: "We had 150 people stay in a warehouse in Reading last night and more people joining us today with some people down from Scotland, Bradford and Wales, and some international protesters from Germany, Switzerland, France and Norway.

"We are opposed to the development of a new generation of warheads."

The perimeter roads around the Ministry of Defence site were logged with morning traffic, with tailbacks stretching back along adjoining roads, including Heath End Road, in Baughurst, and the B3051.