ADULTS and children from across the area joined more than a million people in London's Hyde Park for the biggest single protest the country has ever seen.

Among them were more than 30 protesters from Ilkley Peace Group who left the town early on Saturday morning for the Stop the War rally, which attracted numbers put by the police at 750,000 and by march organisers at two million.

The Ilkley contingency plan was to meet up with other Peace Group members but their hopes were soon dashed as the capital's streets became blocked with people.

A spokeswoman said:"Our small group marching with the Ilkley Peace Group banner finally set off at 1pm.

"There were banners from all types of organisations and thousands of placards.

"Our own banner attracted a few comments - one lady wanting to know if Bettys was still there in Ilkley!"

"The march wound its way very slowly but noisily through the London streets.

"The huge number of people demonstrating meant that we didn't get to Hyde Park until 5.30pm - just as the speeches were ending and it was getting dark.

"It had taken us four and a half hours and there were still demonstrators as far as the eye could see coming down towards the park.

"This was quite an extraordinary day and the hope is that the Government will listen to this protest."

Anyone who wants to join Ilkley Peace Group can e-mail ipg535@hotmail.com or leave their name and address at the Quaker Meeting House, Queens Road.