The organiser of a protest which will see some 80 motor cruisers and pleasure crafts blockade the River Medway on Sunday says it will be “peaceful” and done with full cooperation of the police.

The demonstration at Garrison Point, Sheerness, will be part of a national protest by pleasure boat owners who are warning soaring marine fuel prices will kill their hobby, pleasure and sport “stone dead in the water”.

Protesters say that while the European Union is recommending a 22p per litre price increase in the cost of red diesel, bringing it up to about 92p, the British Government is insisting on charging £1.50 a litre.

The red diesel increase is expected to come into force next year.

Today (Friday) Gerry Bloomfield, who is Medway organiser of the protest, and member of the Rochester Cruising Club, confirmed Sunday’s action would go ahead.

He said: “With the cooperation of the police we are still planning to go ahead. We are not going to block any ships and do not want to cause any hassle we just want to make it heard that we have a grievance.”

The protest cruisers move off form Rochester Bridge at 10am on Sunday morning to set up their blockade across the Medway at Garrison Point between midday and 1pm.