Forty-seven people were arrested at Faslane yesterday as anti-Trident protesters staged a blockade of the Navy base. The arrests, for breach of the peace and resisting arrest, came as 30 people blocked the main gate with 20 locked in position, while eight were locked on at the south gate.

Organisers, the Scrap Trident Coalition, say "hundreds" of protesters turned up for the attempted blockade at 7am. Police put the actual number at about 250.

However, Helensburgh and Lomond councillor George Freeman said: "Given the small number of people who turned up to take part, this has been a complete flop." He added: "As the local councillor who lives next to Faslane and whose ward includes Faslane and Coulport, I am delighted to say that today's planned blockade has once again been a damp squib, and that those living in the community have managed to go about their business without any significant disruption".

Prior to the action, the Scrap Trident Coalition estimated 500 protesters would be involved following a weekend of action in Glasgow. They also warned that traffic "would be tied up from 7am throughout the morning".

However, no traffic problems were reported.

Students, pensioners, environmentalists and activists from a dozen campaign groups and political parties laid at the entrance to the base and locked themselves together with metal and plastic tubes, chains and thumb cuffs.

They demanded the UK disarm Trident, fund human needs - welfare, education, pensions, disability benefits, and green jobs - and let Scotland lead the way to a world free of nuclear weapons.

The blockade was one of more than a hundred Global Day of Action on Military Spending protests calling for deep reductions in military spending and follows a demonstration on Saturday when thousands of protesters called for the government to Scrap Trident.

A spokesman for HM Naval Base Clyde said: "Security staff at the Naval Base, in concert with Police Scotland, have well established procedures in place for dealing with protestors and were prepared for the April 15 protest, thereby ensuring that the threat to the safety and security of the Naval Base was minimised. "HM Naval Base Clyde was not compromised as a result of the protest action."