PROTESTORS opposed to the policies of fuel giant Esso visited every one of its garages in Essex in a day of environmental action.The Stop Esso campaign, made up of members of Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and a student group called People and Planet, claim the company needs to do more towards the issues of renewable energy and global warming.

PROTESTORS opposed to the policies of fuel giant Esso visited every one of its garages in Essex in a day of environmental action.

The Stop Esso campaign, made up of members of Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and a student group called People and Planet, claim the company needs to do more towards the issues of renewable energy and global warming.

Greenpeace members split into four different teams on Saturday to visit all Esso service stations in Essex and unfurl banners and give leaflets to drivers.

The protests followed 24-hour pickets held outside garages last month and were also designed to draw attention to its parent company, Exxon Mobile Corporation, which is to hold its AGM in Texas on Wednesday.

Campaigners claim Esso has used its wealth and power to stop any international action on climate change and said the firm funded multi-million dollar propaganda to dismiss the case for to protecting climate.

Shaun Qureshi of Greenpeace said: "People really understand what this campaign is about. The forecourts were pretty much clear of customers. It was great to see what we could achieve with a relatively small number of people.

"I think people are a lot more aware of environmental issues and this was about giving people the option and opportunity to understand why we are running the campaign."

Speaking outside the Trinity Road service station in Halstead, Corrina Dolso, 33, said: "As a group we trying to raise the awareness of the campaign and Esso's lack of environmental concern and the fact they are not taking enough responsibility with issues of global warming and not doing enough research into alternative energy sources."

Spokesman for Esso UK, David Eglinton, said: "The accusations made by Greenpeace are groundless. Of course Esso takes the matter of global warming very seriously and we are actively working to address the risks it poses, for example we are leading the industry in reducing the emissions from our refineries and other facilities as well as researching and developing fuels for the low emission vehicles of the future such as hydrogen powered fuel cells.

"Independent assessments have concluded that we have one of the best environmental records in the petroleum industry. All we ask is that we are judged on the facts and not upon the reckless assertions by the protestors."

He added leaflets about the company's environmental record were available in all service stations.