Protesters opposed to war in Syria marched through Huddersfield on Saturday.

British MPs voted against action last week and now US president Barack Obama has asked Congress to decide on a military strike.

Despite the political climbdown in Britain, members of Huddersfield Stop The War Coalition gathered in the town centre for a protest march from St George’s Square to Market Cross.

Leader Roger Keely said: “We welcome the defeat in Parliament last week of David Cameron’s plan to attack Syria.

“This followed a powerful popular resistance to another war.

“The Tory and Lib Dem Government will try to manoeuvre round their defeat and our hope is that the US will now not attack Syria.”

In London the Stop the War coalition said that 5,000 people had turned out to back the protest.

Women with Syrian flags painted on their faces chanted: “USA shame on you.”

Veteran left-winger and former Labour MP Tony Benn addressed the crowd.