A FORMER Olympic canoe coach who is using his love of the water to raise awareness of climate change is hoping to use his "peaceful methods" to make a more significant difference than the Extinction Rebellion protests.

David Train, who was born in Stockton, is calling on world leaders to sign his Paddle for Life – a wooden canoe paddle which he is hoping to use a symbol to spread his message.

Former Prime Ministers Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Theresa May have all signed his paddle, as well as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, European leaders and numerous Tees Valley politicians, and now he wants to get Boris Johnson to join the list.

The climate change activists brought traffic to a standstill with a large bamboo structure at Oxford Circus in London's West End, as part of the penultimate day of their "Autumn Uprising" campaign.

On Friday the protestors targeted what is a vital transport hub due to its proximity to luxury goods shops, after targeting airports, government departments and London landmarks since October 7.

Mr Train said: "The latest 'tool' of using the two sea signalling flags to send a message to the world from our existing landmarks took a huge step forward on September 20 when Worcester Cathedral, Worcester University, Bromsgrove District Council and a number of schools flew the two flags.

"By a happy coincidence, Greenpeace held a demonstration below the cathedral and Extinction Rebellion blocked roads in Worcester. It showed two different approaches to the same aim, one using disruption, the other more peaceful.

"We can save millions of pounds and save thousands of hours of police time by simply signalling to Extinction Rebellion that we, at both the top and the base, are listening and, because of their self sacrifice, a way forward has been born, that can involve many more millions of people at every level of society, without disruption."

Mr Train is hoping his Paddle for Life project will be completed in time for the Paris Olympics in 2024, and as part of the project, he is hoping to create a regatta before every Olympics, and will promote the Tees Valley as the starting point.