Girl arrested after whale protest

A 14-year-old girl was arrested after tying herself to railings at the Japanese Embassy in London in a protest against whaling.

Sophie Wyness, from Hereford, and her father Martin were removed by police and charged with criminal trespass.

They are due to appear on 6 February at City of Westminster Magistrates Court.

Sophie said: "I honestly think that me having a criminal record is not a big price to pay when what the whales are going through is so much worse."

'Scientific programme'

The pair were arrested on Thursday and removed by police after tying themselves to a railing inside the embassy with cable ties.

They were later released after being charged.

Japan has faced international condemnation over its plans to kill endangered whales in the Antarctic as part of a "scientific programme".

The UK last month joined 29 other countries and the EU to issue a formal diplomatic written statement to the Japanese government urging it to stop the whaling programme.