A POWYS pensioner has been fined more than £400 for her role taking part in climate change protests in London last year.

Pam Williams, who is 73 and from Llanidloes, was part of a group of protestors from Powys who marched alongside thousands of others on the streets of the English capital last October, demanding action on climate change ahead of the Cop26 summit which took place in Glasgow.

Williams, a retired organic livestock farmer, was part of the Powys arm of Extinction Rebellion protesting in the capital at the beginning of October ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, which took place between October 31 and November 13.

Williams, of Cwm Deildre, Van, Llanidloes, faced a charge of wilful obstruction of a highway on October 4, 2021. She pleaded guilty but was not at Stratford Magistrates' Court on May 3 for sentencing.

The offence relates to Williams without lawful authority or excuse, wilfully obstructing the free passage along a highway, namely the A12 near Blackwell Tunnel – a major London highway.

Williams was fined £300 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £30 surcharge – making a total of £415. She agreed to pay the sum off at a rate of £24 per month.

Extinction Rebellion joined forces with Pacific Climate Warriors and Coal Action Network at a series of London protests ahead of Cop26, with Swedish climate change protestor Greta Thunberg also joining a “climate justice memorial” in the City of London to protest against the financing of fossil fuel industries ahead of the summit.

Activists laid wreaths and flowers at the entrance of the Lloyd’s bank headquarters.