Spiderman causes traffic chaos with Fathers4Justice protest

Michael Waldron from rights group Fathers4Justice scaled a footbridge in Taunton dressed as Spiderman to display a banner promoting his cause.

He sent an email to the County Gazette, claiming to be a Wellington father in his 30s who is fighting for access to his child.

Waldron said: "[The Government] is failing children by preventing them from having contact with loving fathers. We must force change."

This was a photograph the faux Spiderman sent to the County Gazette

Vehicles were barred from leaving the M5 at junction 25, while Toneway into town between the motorway roundabout and Creech Castle was closed with traffic diverted through the bus gate at Blackbrook.

Waldron resisted pleas from a negotiator to remove himself from the bridge, finally handed himself over to police at 11am.

Police set up a control centre at the Murco filling station at Blackbrook with around 15 police, ambulance and fire vehicles on standby, and officers cordoned off the bridge leading over Toneway to Hankridge.

The man perched on the outside of the railings on the bridge over what is normally a main road into Taunton with two protest banners.

The protestor tied himself to the bridge

At one stage two police officers kitted themselves out with ropes as if they were preparing to bring the man down, but he eventually gave up of his own accord.

He was taken for questioning to Taunton Police Station, where he was held overnight.

Nigel Albright, who was in the area on business, said: “People are entitled to protest because we live in a democratic society with freedom of speech, but where you cause inconvenience to other people it’s very selfish.”

Michael Waldron, 30, of Wellington, appeared at Taunton Deane Magistrates’ Court the following day charged with causing a public nuisance.