CAMPAIGNERS from across Gwent took part in a protest in Newport to voice their concerns about British nuclear weapons and the demise of the NHS.

The group called on the Government to “meet the real needs of people, by cutting Trident - not jobs, health or education”.

As campaigners from across Wales travelled to London, at the same time in Newport, members and supporters of Newport CND stood outside the Royal Gwent Hospital calling for ‘NHS not Trident’ today.

Secretary of CND Newport John Minnion said the 60 strong group were showing their support for the NHS and sending a clear message to MPs that Trident must be scrapped, not replaced.

He said: “As people drove past people were tooting and giving us the thumbs up so we felt very supported by the community.

“Cuts in services are really biting and it makes people think if Trident is worth it as it’s very expensive and dangerous and is crippling the UK financially and it can’t continue.”

The group say that the NHS across Britain is currently experiencing the worst A&E waiting times in a decade with NHS Wales alone dealing with a recently announced £2.5bn funding gap. But the Westminster Government is planning to spend £100bn on an “unnecessary Cold War nuclear weapons system”.

The chairman of Newport CND, Dr John Cox, said: “It is of particular concern to those taking part in these events that the Westminster Government has just announced £261 million of extra funding for new nuclear weapons. That is less than 0.3 per cent of the total cost of replacing Trident.

“Scrapping the project would save over £100 billion pounds in the longer term; money which could be spent on health, education and a fairer society."