Mr Stanesby spent six nights on the bridge

Jolly Stanesby, 35, a registered childminder from Ivybridge in Devon, climbed on to the 20-feet-high gantry over the Tamar Bridge at Plymouth on 23 January.

Fathers for Justice says he descended from the gantry on a rope on Thursday in a place that could not be seen by the police, and was driven away to a "safe house".

The Devon and Cornwall Force says it is glad the protest has ended peacefully and it will speak to Mr Stanesby in due course.

Security review

The start of the protest caused chaos to commuter traffic and the bridge was closed for 90 minutes.

Mr Stanesby was joined by three other protesters at the beginning of the demonstration. They were later arrested.

The first woman to take part in one of the protests, mother-of-one Jayne Woodman, 36, a human resources manager from Swansea, south Wales, was released without charge.

A 38-year-old man and a 46-year-old man, both from London, were released on police bail to return at a later date.

The demonstration on the bridge has prompted a review of security measures by its management team.

Mr Stanesby also demonstrated at the Royal Courts of Justice in London in October.