THOUSANDS of anti-nuclear activists have held a protest with a huge scarf to call on the Government to "wrap up" the Trident nuclear missiles programme.

The pink-coloured scarf, knitted by people across the world, encircled the Ministry of Defence building in central London as part of the demonstration yesterday.

Thousands of supporters of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) joined the protest, which also involved a rally opposite Parliament.

Many waved placards which read "A&E not WMD", "Books Not Bombs" and "Climate Not Trident".

Others carried mock bins of radioactive waste.

CND general secretary Kate Hudson, who led the scarf carriers, believed it was at least two miles long.

"It's a very good amount of scarf and a very good amount of people," she said.

Ms Hudson explained that the campaigners wanted to send a message to the current Government as well as the political leaders standing in the general election.

The protest came just days after a debate was held in the Commons on the future of Trident.