Protesters abseiled onto the roof

Police have arrested around eight Greenpeace activists after they blockaded the oil giant's HQ in Leatherhead, Surrey, on Monday morning, even sending members abseiling onto the building's glass roof.

Greenpeace said Esso supported military action against Saddam Hussein and had committed "environmental crimes", although the firm rejects the accusations.

Around 300 protesters, across the UK, are taking part in the day of action against Esso and its parent company Exxon Mobil Corporation, a spokesman for the environmental group said.

We deplore any protest which puts the safety of our staff at risk Esso spokesman

Activists said they had padlocked pumps and turned off the oil supply at some petrol stations.

On Merseyside, three petrol stations were targeted.

Although a number of pumps were chained, none of the stations was closed after firefighters cut the chains off affected pumps.

Esso say about 50 of their petrol stations have been affected by Greenpeace action, although Greenpeace claim around 100 stations have had to close.

The environmental group said seven of its activists were being held by police following the campaign.

Activists at Esso's headquarters blocked its only road entrance by parking a lorry across an access point.

A container was also lowered from the vehicle and secured to the road, according to one activist.

Safety concerns

An Esso spokesman said protestors had also abseiled onto a glass atrium at the headquarters making it unsafe to work in the building.

"Some of the protesters are on the roof of our building, some of which is glass, so this is causing some of the safety concerns.

"We deplore any protest which puts the safety of our staff at risk," he said.

A spokesman for Surrey Police said: "At least eight protesters have been arrested for public order offences at Exon Mobil House.

"The protesters have been given the opportunity to comply with the notice served verbally, which upheld their right to peaceful protest so long as it was conducted out of the road, but were arrested when they refused to comply."

Esso acknowledged that, by 0900 GMT, protesters had been to at least 50 of its 1,300 petrol stations across the UK.

"People have every right to express their views but it is ludicrous to suggest that ExxonMobil is in any way encouraging a potential war in Iraq," the spokesman added.