Greenpeace demonstrators have targeted Esso garages in Banbury as part of a countrywide protest against global warning.

They staged protests at Bodicote and Ermont Way on Saturday, May 18, in a "day of action" organised by Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, who claim oil giant Esso is ignoring climate change.

Banbury Greenpeace member Debbie Keys claimed Esso was behind US president George W Bush's decision last year to pull out of the Kyoto Treaty, a worldwide convention designed to curb climate change. She said: "Esso's done more than any other company to sabotage international action on global warning.

"If people care about the environment they can make a difference by refusing to fill up with Esso fuel.

"We're not telling drivers to get out of their cars, we're just asking them to not use Esso."

Meanwhile Esso spokesman Sophie Froale said: "We refute Greenpeace's allegations. Their's is a campaign of mis-information, and is a nonsense.

"We take climate change seriously and have programmes in place to reduce dangerous emissions."

But it was business as usual for the petrol stations as motorists ignored the campaigners' placards.

Ermont Way manager Geoff Jung said: "It was a normal day for us. There were four protesters outside, but no customers even mentioned them."

No-one at Bodicote service station was prepared to comment.

Greenpeace picketed 215 sites on Saturday, but Esso said none of the stations had reported a loss of trade.