NUCLEAR disarmament is a noble mission, but unrealistic, after protesters travelled from South Cumbria to Manchester to protest.

They were among thousands to gather in the city with various messages on the first day of the Conservative Party conference.

The members of South Lakeland and Lancaster District Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in attendance wanted the billions spent on the Trident nuclear programme to be redirected elsewhere.

Philip Gilligan, speaking on behalf of the campaigners, said the Government's priorities were 'very wrong'.

Eddy Christopher said: "I wish we could scrap trident and give the money to the NHS.

"No one needs a nuclear deterrent, just other superpowers to think we have one.

"The only problem with that plan is that the bleeding hearts will love to advertise that we no longer have one, so we need to keep it on constant patrol."

Darren Barry-Sheene Atkinson said: "I don’t think there is much strength of feeling in this town in support of CND.

"8 protesters for an hour, kind of a let down."

Charlie Dowthwaite said: "The phrase 'nurses not nukes'; I totally agree with it because it is immoral that billions are spent on things to kill people whereas just a fraction of that cost could be directed towards the NHS.

"It could also go to funding decent housing & decent public transport as well as feeding some people in some parts of the world.

"We live in a capitalist society and capitalism itself causes wars by its very nature because it is profitable.

"We should abandon the nuclear weapons programme, dismantle the military and make the world a safer place to live altogether."

Joe Murphy said: "Humans = the only species on the planet that invests more time, energy and money in trying to destroy life than it does to preserve it."