EXTINCTION Rebellion activists have gatecrashed a meeting of Scottish Borders Council.

Members of the green group, which has been campaigning for the council to declare a climate emergency in line with numerous councils in the UK, descended on a meeting of the local authority to sing Christmas carols and make speeches.

Following convener David Parker’s opening remarks, the protesters, who had occupied all of the public benches at the meeting, began to sing ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ with alternative lyrics referring to the looming climate crisis.

Following the serenade, a member of Extinction Rebellion, Kate Duncan, of Paxton in Berwickshire, addressed the chamber.

She said: “We really don’t want to disrupt your meeting for long at all but it’s really important. I see on your agenda this morning there is no mention of the climate crisis.

“This should be on your agenda, it should be at the top of it every single meeting you have. It should be your top consideration, no matter what you discuss, no matter what you need to take account of.

“We would really like if you would urgently consider at this meeting, or the next one, declaring a climate emergency.

“Seventeen councils in Scotland now have, don’t be the last. Get in there and act on it.”

The protesters were politely applauded by members of the council, and councillor Parker thanked the group and told them that climate change would be on the council’s agenda in the future.