Greenpeace campaigners protest at Centrica

Activists have shut down energy firm Centrica’s Windsor headquarters for the day by barricading entrances in protest over rising gas bills.

More than 50 Greenpeace campaigners have been camped out at the Maidenhead Road site from 7am today with banners reading: "Big Bills? Your energy bill ripoff is fulled by gas hikes."

Some activists wallpapered walls inside the buildings with protest banners, and were aiming to cover Centrica boss Sam Laidlaw’s office with rolls of wallpaper printed with energy bills.

Entrances were chained up and activists sat guard outside them, while a 260 square foot spoof energy bill blocked the main entrance which is lined with campaigner.

Only essential Centrica staff are working at the site while police are watching over the peaceful demonstration.

Activist Niall Bennett said Greenpeace wanted to send out a ‘strong message’ to the firm and activists would be protesting all day.

He said: “People are getting clobbered by rising energy bills by the big six energy companies and Centrica are the worst of the lot.

"We are going to shut it down for the whole day so that they get the message and make them realise that people very unhappy about the hikes."

Centrica workers declined to comment.