POLICE have arrested 23 climate protesters after they attempted to block the M25 causing long delays and queues for drivers again this morning.

Several Insulate Britain protesters were blocking both sides of the dual carriageways between junction 9 and 10 for Woking of the M25 this morning Tuesday, September 21. This caused long queues which backed up all the way to the M3 junction for Basingstoke.

This is the fifth time the climate protesters have attempted to block the motorway.

Surrey Police were called to junctions 9 and 10 of the motorway just after 8am following reports.

The force said “a number” of demonstrators were at the scene, where they had poured blue paint on to the motorway, and urged drivers to avoid the area where possible.

Footage taken at the scene by LBC showed the protesters walking onto the lanes from the lay-bys and sitting down on the ground in front of moving traffic.

Some then held up banners saying “Insulate Britain” before they were dragged off the road by police officers.

Insulate Britain describes itself as 'a new group demanding that the Government gets on with the job of insulating Britain’s homes.'

During the incident drivers were advised to avoid the stretch of the UK’s busiest motorway while officers dealt with the protesters.

Police offers have since fully reopened the roads as they cleared the protesters off.

A spokesperson from Surrey Police: "Lanes on both clockwise and anticlockwise carriageways of the M25 between junctions 9 and 10 are now fully re-opened after officers cleared all of the Insulate Britain protesters off the road.

"23 arrests have been made."

The campaigning group has since confirmed they led the demonstration, they said that new people have joined their campaign to improve home insulation in addition to the others who have been involved in similar demonstrations in Hertfordshire, Kent, Essex and Surrey over the past week.

They said the recent rise in gas and electricity costs has 'increased the urgency' for change and they would end their campaign as soon as they hear a 'meaningful commitment' to their demands.

Liam Norton, a spokesperson from the group, said: “The idea that people would suddenly decide insulating our leaky homes is a bad idea as a result of our campaign is frankly laughable. We are simply asking the Government to get on with the job.

“The people of Britain understand that climate change is a severe threat to everything they hold dear. They are looking to the Government for leadership. We have a practical solution and have received encouragement for our aims from many construction industry professionals. ”

The incident comes after a total of 41 people were previously arrested in connection with protests on the M25 on Monday.

Kit Malthouse, who is policing minister as well as representing the constituency of North West Hampshire, said on Twitter that the Insulate Britain protest, which demanded Government action on home insulation, was 'an abject lesson in how to kill enthusiasm for action against climate change.'

He added: "Key workers delayed, school kids late and distressed, police dragged off crime fighting. And thousands of stationary cars pumping out fumes for hours. Idiotic."

On Monday Insulate Britain’s website warned that the disruption is 'just the start”, and “action will continue until the Government makes a meaningful commitment to insulate Britain’s 29 million leaky homes.'

Following the incident earlier this week Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also criticised the protesters, he said that they ‘detract from a very important moral mission’ that is shared by the nation.