A Keighley pensioner has been jailed in Scotland for her role in anti-nuclear protests in Edinburgh.

Helen John, 70, was one of two women who daubed slogans on the High Court building in Edinburgh in November, 2006.

John, a veteran activist who has protested at Greenham Common, Menwith Hill and various other military installations, was jailed for 40 days yesterday for "malicious mischief".

John and her co-accused Georgina Smith wrote graffiti including the phrases No Star Wars' and Ban Cluster Bombs' on the High Court building on Remembrance Day.

The graffiti cost almost £4,000 to remove, Edinburgh Sheriff's Court was told.

John will serve her sentence at Cornton Vale Women's prison in Stirling. Smith was jailed for 45 days.

A debate was due to take place today in the House of Lords on the issue of missile defence. The debate has been secured by Lord William Wallace of Saltaire.

The missile defence programme, dubbed Star Wars', is an American system which would see key sites in the UK used including at Menwith Hill near Harrogate.

Campaigners and a number of MPs, including Keighley MP Anne Cryer, have expressed concern at a Government announcement last year that it had given permission for the bases to be used.