Major Christian groups will come together in central London Monday to urge the Government to close its arms sales unit, the Defence Export Service Organisation (DESO).

The 'Shut DESO Day of Action' brings together the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FoR), Christian youth organisation SPEAK, Pax Christi and the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) in protest against DESO's proactive arms export strategies.

According to FoR, DESO boasts that 75 per cent of the UK arms sales would not have happened without them.

The day of protest is part of FoR's Living by the Sword campaign which wants to see the Government end its promotion of arms from the UK and more specifically close DESO.

The day of protest will start with a prayer meeting outside DESO before a rally at Bloomsbury Baptist Church. The campaigners will then form a human chain around the DESO offices at lunchtime.