A PRO-HUNTING group brought motorway chaos to Gwent with a go-slow protest on the M4 this morning.

Several groups of Countryside Action Network protesters in 4WD vehicles drove at 10mph along the east- and westbound carriageways between Junction 24, at the Coldra roundabout, and Junction 29.

Similar protests occurred near Cardiff, Cambridge, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, Birmingham and Manchester.

John Baddeley, 51, a group spokesman, said: "The aim of the protest is to tell the government to get off our backs. Our plan was to drive slowly in convoy at various sections of motorway and hold up the traffic.

"We are trying to send a message to the government to say, get off our backs and let hunting continue. This is a warning of what we can do, and what we are saying is that if the government doesn't listen we will do this kind of thing more often."

Inspector Chris Morgan, of Gwent Police, said: "It wasn't a major disruption, just an inconvenience."

Police estimated between five and 15 vehicles were involved in the protest. Inspector Morgan added: "It only takes a couple to block a motorway."

By 8.15am the protesters had pulled over on to the hard shoulder, but there were considerable tailbacks.

* In the picture: Police talk to the driver of a vehicle in Newport this morning as queues form on the M4.