A driver says he missed his father’s final hours yesterday because an environment protest group caused a traffic jam blockade.

The unnamed man was stuck in traffic on the M32 on Wednesday after the group set up a blockade causing queues of up to four miles long.

He called BBC Radio Bristol to say how Extinction Rebellion’s actions had prevented him seeing his father for the last time.

The full interview is no longer available online as the grieving son has asked to remain anonymous.

When a reporter confronted protester Zoe Jones with the recording, she said she was sympathetic but ultimately stands by what she and her fellow demonstrators did.

She continued: ‘We’re incredibly sorry, we didn’t mean for our protest to affect your life in this way.

‘I still believe we are doing the right thing but it’s incredibly difficult to hear stories like that.

‘I’m glad that I heard it and it’s given me a more rounded view of the protest and the gravity of the situation that we’re in.’

She added that it has not  made her want to stop protesting in the future and said: ‘I guess the reason why we’re all here is for our families.

‘I shouldn’t be here standing in the road and stopping people from getting to hospital to see their aged father who is on death’s door.

‘This shouldn’t be happening but we are here and this is the reality and we have to be here.’

She blamed their actions on politicians and added: ‘I hope politicians listen to what we are saying and allow us to get back to work, allow people to get to their hospital appointments and to allow them to get on with their lives.’

Police confirmed 16 people were arrested at the blockade during yesterday’s activity.

However, the incident has lost them some public support

Local Steve King said: ‘His father was seriously ill in Bristol Royal Infirmary. He had a phone call from them to say that his father hadn’t got long to live.

‘He couldn’t be with his father when he died because these protesting twunts had blocked the M32 and he couldn’t get there in time.

‘The protesters have completely lost any support I may have had for their message.’

Caroline Carey wrote: ‘I hope they can live with what they have done to this poor man. How would they feel if it was one of their family members needing to get to the hospital? They have no conscience.

‘They’ve made their point, time to go home before more tragedy blights their cause. RIP to the father and heartfelt condolences to the son.’

Rachelle Miller wrote: ‘Poor guy. I was lucky to be with my dad right till his last breath.

‘This will be with him for the rest of his life.

‘So not fair he had to go through this because of selfish people who couldn’t stay on the roads that had been blocked off.’

Extinction Rebellion protests have been causing traffic chaos across Bristol since Monday as part of their so-called Summer Uprising.

Demonstrators have targeted key road links around the city – and plan to stay until Friday as part of nationwide protests.

They have also caused traffic chaos in Cardiff, London and Leeds.

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