Fishermen fire flares in jobs risk protest

Protesting British fishermen fired hundreds of flares into the air to mark the number of East Coast jobs they say are at risk if new European quotas are introduced.

A flotilla of about 30 boats gathered at the mouth of the River Tyne before sailing upstream, sounding their horns in a noisy demonstration.

But fishermen stressed there was no intention to block the river, unlike a protest in the French port of Boulogne which is feared may disrupt cross-Channel Christmas "booze-cruise" shoppers.

More vessels from North Sea ports had been expected to join the Tyneside flotilla, but poor weather kept them in harbour. However their crews were arriving by bus to join the show of support.

They fired red flares into the air at the mouth of the Tyne, then set off several miles upstream to the "blinking eye" Millennium Bridge which spans Newcastle and Gateshead's trendy quaysides.