YOUNG climate change activists blocked the entrances to an oil and gas market seminar today by locking themselves together with bicycle chains.

The six activists, aged between 15 and 24, from Extinction Rebellion (XR), took action outside of the Caledonian Club in London where the Westminster energy, environment and transport forum was being held.

Speakers included gas firm Cuadrilla chief executive Francis Egan and the shale gas commissioner Natascha Engel.

Young activists wore T-shirts saying “Don’t step on our future” and forced seminar attendees to step over them.

XR youth co-ordinator Robin Ellis-Cockcroft said they took action as investing in fracking is “both criminally harmful to our futures as young people and is used to stall development in renewable energy technologies.”

The 24-year-old said: “By convening and attending this conference, the Forum are promoting short term business over our generation’s future.”

He said they wanted to “stop such work and provide a clear message of what they are sacrificing for their profits.”