Defence secretary Geoff Hoon has been greeted on a visit to north Wales by a group of anti-war protesters angry about the government's position on the Iraq crisis.

Mr Hoon visited Connah's Quay Labour Club in Flintshire for a question and answer session with Labour party members about a possible war with Iraq.

Protesters mounted a candle-lit rally outside the club as Mr Hoon went in, and brandishing banners with anti-war slogans for him to see.

Mr Hoon has lost all moral credibility with his blatant war-mongering Peace protester

His visit on Thursday came just hours after 4,500 extra reservists were called up ahead of any possible military action.

One group had threatened to carry out a "citizen's arrest" on Mr Hoon.

A spokesperson for the protesters said: "Mr Hoon has lost all moral credibility with his blatant war-mongering.

"He has backed 'pre-emptive' military attacks in the Middle East with weapons of mass destruction.

"Furthermore, he risks fuelling a global arms race with his support for George W Bush's Star Wars programme, the multi-billion dollar space missile attack system."

Mr Hoon's visit has been seen as an attempt to forge party unity over the issue of Iraq.

Mr Hoon was addressing Labour party members

Ten Welsh MPs have written a letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair voicing their concerns about possible consequences of war.

In it, they urged Mr Blair to let diplomatic strategies pursued through the UN Security Council be continued and to "avoid war that could be extremely costly in terms of human life and suffering."

The MPs who signed the letter were Martin Caton, Huw Irranca-Davies, Huw Edwards, Paul Flynn, Hywel Francis, Dai Harvard, Jon Owen Jones, Julie Morgan, Albert Owen and Betty Williams.

Polls

Speaking on BBC Wales' Dragon's Eye programme, Mr Hoon said he understood people's concerns.

"I've done a number of meetings up and down the country listening to people's observations, trying to understand their questions, setting out the government's position.

He claimed opinion polls overwhelmingly showed people supported the government on the issue.

Mr Hoon said: "We want the UN to be able to resolve this position

"That can be achieved providing Saddam Hussein disarms Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction."