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A grandmother who has already been arrested four times says she is willing to go to prison to save the world from a climate catastrophe.

Market worker Erika Curren was among the more than 1,000 people arrested while demonstrating for Extinction Rebellion in April.

Despite her advancing years she has spent dozens of days protesting - manning the picket line late into the night and even being carried away bodily by police.

She will appear on BBC Inside Out South West on Monday (October 21).

“I can’t bear thinking of my grandchildren living in an era when civilization might start breaking down,” the 62-year-old grandmother of three told the BBC.

“I’m not wealthy I have a limited income. I work on a market stall and I get paid minimum wage.

“The money I’ve saved will run out and at that point I will have to review how long I can continue to be arrested. If the money runs out and I can’t pay, is that the point where I go to prison? I don’t know. I am prepared to go to prison.”

Erika, from Gunnislake, was arrested twice while protesting in London, and was later charged with a public offence order - a charge she pleaded not guilty to.

She told BBC Inside Out South West that she intended to tell the court: “I can’t believe I’m here, I’m a law abiding woman.

(Image: BBC)

“I feel like I have no alternative, I am compelled because I intend to look my grandchildren in the eye on my death bed and tell them I did all in my limited power to stop this dreadful crisis.”

Extinction Rebellion marched back into the headlines last week with another round of mass civil disobedience.

Tom Wilson, from think tank Policy Exchange, said: “It’s surprising that Extinction Rebellion has managed to persuade such a large number of people – many from ordinary backgrounds – to join what are essentially radical, professional protesters in being willing to get arrested.

“I think that it’s a sign of how an extreme and apocalyptic message can be successful at radicalising otherwise ordinary people.”

Erika was found guilty of the public order offence and was handed a nine month conditional discharge and a fine of nearly £400. She has been arrested twice more since then but says it has done nothing to deter her from further action.

Inside Out South West will air on BBC One South West at 7.30pm on Monday. It will be available on iPlayer afterwards.