Police were called to Barclays in Preston on Monday after reports of criminal damage as part of a national climate change protest.

Greenpeace activists sealed the doors of the bank to stop customers entering the branch.

The Barclays bank in Fishergate was one of nearly 100 branches shut down by the action to highlight the bank’s funding of fossil fuels.

Across the north west, seven Barclays high street branches were shut down including Manchester, Preston, Blackpool and Lytham St Annes.

A pop-up exhibition displaying photographs of some of the worst climate emergency disasters in the four years since the Paris Climate agreement was signed was placed in the entrance of the Manchester branch, leading to five arrests.

Lancashire Police were called the Preston branch at 9.20am however it is believed that no arrests were made in connection with the shut down.

Greenpeace claims Barclays is the biggest funder of fossil fuels in Europe among banks.

In the early hours of the morning, Barclays branches around the country were rendered out of action by Greenpeace activists who disabled the doors preventing staff from entering.

At the major branches, images of people bearing slogans such as “Stop Funding Fossil Fuels” and “Stop Funding the Climate Emergency” were stuck on the windows, with the pop up exhibitions displaying photographs climate change.

The exhibition comes days after the MET office declared February was the wettest month since records began, with three storms battering the country.

Morten Thaysen, climate finance campaigner at Greenpeace UK said, “Barclays must stop funding the climate emergency, that’s why we’ve taken action today.

“Banks are just as responsible for the climate emergency as the fossil fuel companies they fund, yet they’ve escaped scrutiny for years.

“We’ve shut down branches across the country to shine a spotlight on Barclays’ role in bankrolling this emergency.

“It’s time Barclays pulled the plug and backed away from funding fossil fuels for good.”

Blog Preston has tried to contact Barclays for comment but are awaiting reply.