TERRORIST attacks and a protest ban are no deterrent to a North-East climate campaigner heading to Paris.

Artist and activist Louise Graham is set to take her giant patchwork protest to the streets of Paris next week.

For months, the Darlington woman has gathered patches created by hundreds of people opposed to climate change.

After painstakingly sewing them together, Ms Graham is preparing to travel to France for the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Despite recent atrocities and Paris’ current state of emergency, the conference will still take place as planned next week.

Ms Graham believes the protests planned around it should also go ahead and says the French government should allow society to have a voice.

She said: “This is an issue that effects everybody, everywhere and people need to realise.

“The world is becoming an unsettled place for everyone and this is perhaps the biggest issue.

“I use the blanket as a metaphor, in workshops I tell children that we can take a blanket off when we’re too hot but the world can’t – the gases last forever.

“This is not going to go away and the worst thing we can do is ignore it.

“It is only by standing up and being counted that we can make a difference.”

She added: “It was devastating to hear about Paris, very upsetting to hear about the acts of terror and the loss of lives.

“It makes it even more important to speak out about climate change because it has played a part in conflicts and war and it’s putting a strain on resources in countries already struggling.

“It is unfortunate that France has declared a state of emergency but it’s important to be united and make sure civil society has the final word.

“I’ll be going anyway because it’s important for the people on the ground to have their voices heard.”

Ms Graham has used some of the 305 patches to stitch together a superhero costume which she will wear throughout the protest, taking place simultaneously with many across the world.

To follow her journey to Paris, visit the Waking Up to Climate Change page on Facebook.