Thousands of UK schools, colleges, courts, Government offices and jobcentres will be closed or disrupted today when teachers, civil servants and other workers stage the biggest strike for five years, in a bitter row over pensions.

Over 200 people were in custody in Britain today after trouble flared following a separate rally where hundreds of thousands protested against the government’s public spending cuts.

Organisers of a huge protest against the UK government’s public spending cuts tonight hailed the demonstration a “fantastic success” after hundreds of thousands of people joined the biggest event of its kind for over 20 years.

Activists staged protests at more than 40 bank branches across the country today in protest at executive bonuses and cuts in public services.