Dozens arrested at base protest

The protesters blocked an entrance to the nuclear base

A total of 42 peace protesters from Sweden and Finland have been arrested after blockading an entrance to Faslane.

The men and women were held at the nuclear base on Monday morning.

A Scottish protester is also thought to have been arrested at the base on the Clyde. All the protesters were aged between 18 and 38.

A group spokesman said they were held at a police station overnight and plan to travel home later this week.

Faslane is home to the UK's Trident nuclear weapons system and has seen frequent protests by anti-nuclear campaigners.

We believe that nuclear weapons should not be on this earth as they are a threat to humanity Martin Smedjeback

The protesters - 23 from Sweden and 19 from Finland - had travelled to Scotland from their respective countries late last week and arrived at Faslane at about 0400 BST on Monday.

Several members of the protest group sat down on the road in front of the gates, some chained together, while others erected a large tripod to act as an obstruction.

Group spokesman Martin Smedjeback, 33, from Stockholm in Sweden, said the protesters were due to be released on Tuesday.

Mr Smedjeback added that his group felt compelled to travel to Faslane as the nuclear weapons at the base were the closest to Sweden and Finland.

"We believe that nuclear weapons should not be on this earth as they are a threat to humanity," he said.

"That goes for all nuclear weapons, and these ones here are the closest to us."

He added: "We were expecting to be arrested - the police were fine with us."

A spokesman for Strathclyde Police said: "We arrested 43 people at Faslane yesterday morning after allegations of disorder offences."