City council occupied by pro-tree protest group

Protesters opposed to controversial plans to cut down trees in Sheffield have occupied the city council chamber. A group of around 20 people descended from the public gallery at the end of a council meeting.

Police were last night negotiating with the occupiers, who said it was a peaceful protest and that there would be no damage. The long-running row over Sheffield’s street trees has seen daily demonstrations in some of the city’s leafiest suburbs.