Fathers stage 'festive' protest

The march will end in Trafalgar Square

Fathers campaigning for better access rights dressed as Santa for a protest march through central London.

About 350 members of the Fathers 4 Justice group assembled in Green Park on Saturday to march through Piccadilly and Covent Garden to Trafalgar Square.

A spokesman said they were trying to put the father back into Christmas.

Gary Burch said: "It is a sad fact that something in the region of two to five million children are not going to wake up with their dads on Christmas Day."

He added: "A lot of these separations are because of the failure of the family courts.

"We are trying to prick people's consciences."

The march started at 1130 GMT and campaigners are due to end the protest in Trafalgar Square at 1300 GMT.