South Lakeland climate change activists take part in Extinction Rebellion's Summer Uprising

On Monday, four of the group joined Scottish activists in gluing and locking themselves onto a purple boat used to block a busy road junction in the city, risking arrest to demonstrate their commitment to the campaign.

Extinction Rebellion has hit the headlines nationally with its high profile non-violent direct actions aimed at pressuring the government to take urgent action "to prevent catastrophic climate breakdown, and the consequent threats to human civilisation."

Kendal resident Catherine Rennie-Nash, who locked herself to the Glasgow boat, said: “I'm willing to do anything because it breaks my heart that future generations, including my grandchildren, will experience a fragmented and degraded world.”

Henry Adams, who spent 10 hours glued to the boat, said: “Somebody has to do this because the government is doing the opposite of what’s needed, despite its claims.

"According to a recent United Nations report, our government is going backwards in all but one of its climate change commitments.”

Each of the five rebellions carried out so far has had a different focus. Glasgow’s was entitled ‘The Future you Fear is Already Here’, in reference to the issue of climate refugees.

Kendal’s Gwen Harrison said: “Climate change is already afflicting many parts of the world, forcing people to flee homes hit by drought and other extreme weather.

"The people affected first and worst are invariably the world’s poorest and most vulnerable, who have contributed least to the climate crisis. The numbers of refugees will only increase as the climate crisis deepens."

Local teacher Mark Arrowsmith, who also travelled to Glasgow for the event, said “While the scientific predictions certainly make depressing reading, it really feels like people are finally waking up to the climate crisis, and that gives me hope.

"If enough of us engage in non-violent direct action our governments will have no choice but to listen and act.”