CHURCHMAN'S DEMO ARREST

A Methodist minister and two grannies were arrested last night during a peace protest at a Devon petrol station.

Reverend David Harding, Mo Mooney, 54, and 65-year-old Eve Connell were carried off by police as they lay across the entrance to an Esso station in Exmouth and refused to move.

Forty-five-year-old Simon Watton was also arrested and the four were kept in police cells for three hours before being released.

They were part of a 30-strong demonstration at the Salterton Road filling station. The protesters believe Esso's parent company, US oil giant Exxon Mobil, supports a war in Iraq with the aim of gaining access to the country's oil reserves.

Five police cars and eight officers were sent to the scene of the protest. A dog-handling unit also attended but was not needed.

Rev Harding, who works in Exmouth, said he had been left with no alternative but to face arrest.

"In light of the illegal war being fought in Iraq we have to step up our campaign," he said.

"We support our servicemen and women over there and want them bought back safely before they are forced to commit illegal acts. This war is not about weapons of mass destruction - it's about oil, and that's why we're here."

The protesters surrounded the station forecourt at 6.15pm, sitting in one entrance and blocking the other with bicycles.

Exmouth's raging grannies - women who have appeared at several peace marches recently - shunned their usual highly coloured garb in favour of black mourning outfits as a mark of respect for those who have already died in the conflict.

Passing motorists could not get into the station and were encouraged to sound their horns in support of the demonstration.

Police arrived at 6.30pm and radioed for back-up. Most of the protesters were cleared from the entrance but several refused to move and lay across the concrete forecourt surface. They were warned they would be arrested for obstructing the public highway.

At 7pm Mr Watton was carried from the entrance by police officers. When he lay back down on the forecourt he was arrested. He was led to the police car to cheers from his fellow protesters.

Raging granny and former Royal Navy Wren, Mo Mooney, was the next to be moved off.

"I served my country for many years and as far as I'm concerned I'm serving it now," she said as she was carried away.

Rev Harding and another raging granny, Eve Connell, were next to be arrested. All four were bailed to return to Exmouth police station next month.

The officer in charge of proceedings, Sergeant John Gait Note:cor , said he had not wanted to make the arrests but had been left with no option.

"From their point of view it was a successful protest," he said. "They have made their point but we would rather not have made any arrests.

"They are entitled to protest and we have every sympathy with their point of view but we had to move them from a safety point of view as much as anything else.

"There is a busy road just a few feet away from where they lay. No one was hurt in the operation so from that point of view it was a success."

Esso spokesman David Eglinton Note:cor said the firm had no view on the war in Iraq.

"The claims currently being made by these protesters implying that Esso is encouraging war in Iraq are nothing short of ridiculous," he added.

"The situation in Iraq is entirely a matter for governments. Neither Esso nor Esso's parent company, ExxonMobil, has had any discussion with the Bush administration or any other government regarding military action to gain access to Iraqi oil."

At the same time the peace protestors were demonstrating last night British forces were preparing to seize control of Basra after a local uprising against Saddam Hussein's suddenly exploded.

Thousands of people took to the streets of the key strategic city in southern Iraq in the early evening and began rampaging through areas heavily populated by known sympathisers of the country's regime.

By nightfall dozens of buildings were ablaze as the predominantly Shia Muslims of the south took their revenge after years of domination by Saddam Hussein's Sunni Muslim ruling Ba'ath party.

The public revolt was one of the British force's main objectives and undercover intelligence officers have been working in the port city for weeks trying to foment exactly this kind of unrest.

The disorder gave the troops of the 7th Armoured Brigade -the famous Desert Rats - the perfect opportunity to prepare to move into the city of 1.5 million and take control of a battleground whose capture is vital to the allies.

Once intelligence of the uprising was passed to brigade commanders the order to assemble at forward attack points was swiftly sent out.

Iraqis using electronic warfare equipment briefly interrupted the issue of commands by broadcasting white noise on the British Army's communication systems - a problem overcome by frequency changes.

And after a day of peacekeeping duties, the Desert Rats suddenly found themselves placed on immediate standby to move forward and, under the darkness of night, hasty preparations for what could be a bloody and brutal conflict were made.

This morning more British forces troops were waiting for the order to enter Basra. And there were reports that Allied troops had confronted paramilitaries fleeing Iraq's second city.

Basra is the main centre of Shia-dominated southern Iraq which rose up against Saddam after the 1991 Gulf War, only to be brutally put down by the Iraqi dictator when the Americans failed to provide support.

The Iraqi regime has denied claims of a revolt in Basra and Arab TV stations today showed pictures of what was said to be a calm city.

But Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said today: "Certainly there have been disturbances, local people rising up against the regime.

"We know that there have been attempts by regime militia to attack those same people, their own people, to attack them with mortars, machine-gun fire, rifles and so on. We haven't witnessed it but we know that that is happening from various sources."

And British Group Captain Al Lockwood said this morning: "There seemed to be an uprising in Basra last night. We are assessing the situation very carefully to see how we can capitalise on it and how we can assist."

British forces targeted the mortar positions with their own artillery, stopping the fire, and later dropped a guided weapon on the local headquarters of Saddam's Baath party, he said.

Meanwhile Devon Marines from 42 Commando entered the port of Umm Qasr last night delivering the first aid parcels to the locals. They were received like kings and liberators and the yellow packs of food and cartons of water were soon dispersed.

Richard Edwards, of the Western Daily Press, was with the Marines. He said the once thriving port on Iraq's southern coast is now a slum - and sent this report of how the troops were welcomed.

''We have no electricity, no food, no water and no medicine," said Mohammed, 24. ''You must stay, you must stay and help."

Huge families squeezed one by one out of doorways as curiosity rose. The women were wrapped in black chadoors, only their bright, dark eyes and grinning lips peeking through.

They waved, then blushed as troops waved back.

The children, clothed in a colourful, patterned mix of jumpers, shirts and jackets, reached fever pitch, mugging every uniformed man. ''Mister, Mister" they yelled as they prodded the soldiers and told them their names.

Chasing the "Britani" they then turned their thumbs down and uttered the dangerous word, ''Saddam". Ali, a 33-year-old with four brothers and a multitude of children grabbing up at his green jacket, said the troops had their support.

''Everyone here is one family and they need help," he said. ''We all want to thank Mr Blair and Mr Bush for being brave men to destroy this regime.

''We are so happy, so happy."

Others were less forthcoming, warning danger still looms.

Joseph, an Arabic interpreter attached to 42 Commando carrying out the aid mission, said: ''Many of the older men are still worried.

''Time is of the essence - we need to get out there with them fast. They love us, but they are scared."

The interpreter explained many of the older men are qualified doctors and surgeons who cannot work under the regime because they are Shia Muslims.

They want desperately to help, but they have no equipment.

''All of them are asking for electricity, food, water and medicine," said Joseph.

''Some of the children are sick, but the town is not at death's door. Most people want cigarettes as much as something to eat."

In the desolate, colourless surrounds, one boy had found a bright purple flower. He took three attempts to summon up the bravery, then handed it to a Marine.

Another tiny dark-haired girl beamed a smile as she ran towards a soldier to gather a parcel. Then fear struck and she stopped, trapped in the headlights.

Her father humbly hobbled past to receive the gift and return it to the girl, now jumping on the spot and clapping her hands. She wrapped it in her arms, barely able to link her hands around it, and the yellow glow of the parcel lit up her pale face.

As the country starts to see life beyond the 23-year reign of Saddam Hussein, so it smiles and grows in warmth.

Perhaps in 30 years time the little girl will remember the man with the gun and that bright yellow parcel as the beginning of a new dawn, a new joyful and vibrant Iraq.

A FORMER soldier from Exeter is arranging a march in support of the families and friends of the Devon men serving in the Gulf.

Ken Hill, 43, hopes hundreds of city residents will come out on Saturday in a show of support for the British servicemen.

Mr Hill, a former signaller in the Devon and Dorsets, arranged the march in response to massive peace protest which brought the city to a standstill two weeks ago.

Mr Hill says he is worried soldiers, sailors and air crew are under the impression they do not have the support of the British public.

He spoke out against the "mass hysteria" of the anti-war marches.

"This will not be a power protest," added the married father of one.

"We will peacefully show our support for all the brave men and women serving in our armed forces."

The marchers will meet in Princesshay on Saturday, at 1pm.