PROTESTERS in the Tyne Valley have warned against a no deal Brexit.

A group staged a peaceful demonstration in Hexham town centre on Saturday, citing concerns over the North-East’s economy if the government was unable to reach a trade deal with the European Union.

The UK left the EU back in January, with a withdrawal agreement setting out the terms of the departure, over a transitional 11-month period.

This will end on December 31, and the deadline for extending it has now passed.

The Hexham protest was the North-East leg of a series of nationwide ‘3.5 per cent protests’.

The group’s spokeswoman Caroline Ludlow said the 3.5 per cent represented the small number of people required within a given area for a peaceful protest to succeed, while also adhering to social distancing.

She added: “This event in Hexham focused on saying ‘no to no deal’ as the North-East will be the area worst affected by this economically.

“If we don’t strike a comprehensive deal with the EU then we will be facing a double economic blow from Covid-19 and Brexit.”

The protesters said that a deal needed to be reached as soon as October 31 - the date when the furlough scheme is due to end, in the interests of multiple businesses and their employees.

Caroline added: “Placards included ‘No Deal Blues = More Food Queues’ as well as ‘No2NoDeal’ and ‘Save British Farming’ as one in three farms are said to be at risk of closure in the event of a no deal Brexit.

“The demonstration was well received by passers-by – some coming up to tell us of their support, others asking further questions who had not been aware of the gravity of the situation.”