A PEACE activist has complained to Cheshire Constabulary after a police officer quizzed fellow campaigners about plans for yesterday's huge anti-war demonstration in London.

Frances Laing, a leading member of Chester Stop the War Coalition, was concerned to learn that a uniformed police officer had attended the group's meeting at the Quaker Meeting House in Frod-sham Street where he asked various questions.

Ms Frances Laing, a Quaker, has written to Chief Constable Peter Fahy accusing the police of 'impinging on the right to democratic protest'.

In the letter to Mr Fahy, she wrote: 'On Monday Chester Stop The War Coalition met in the Chester Quaker Meeting House. A uniformed police officer waited outside the door of the meeting. He was invited in and insisted that the people there give him their names and addresses.

'Whilst we understand that there is at present a high security alert nationally, demonstrations in which we as a group have taken part have always been peaceful with people of all ages.'

Ms Laing yesterday joined a 100,000-strong demonstration in London under the slogan 'Stop Bush's War' - arranged to coincide with President George Bush's visit to the UK. She told The Chronicle at an anti-war protest in Chester's Town Hall Square on Wednesday that she was striking a blow for freedom of speech.

Ms Laing added in her letter to Mr Fahy: 'We would like to inquire of you why one of your officers visited the meeting uninvited and whether you might like to explain his visit.

'We have a right to democratic protest and feel that such a visit impinges on this right,' added Ms Laing of Garden Lane.

Fellow Quaker Margaret Owen, who was at Monday's meeting, said she did not have a problem with the officer's visit.

She said: 'It was all extremely amiable. He asked what the plans were for the bus to London. He asked what time it was leaving, where it was leaving and how many people were going down on it.'

Chester city Cllr Mia Jones, an anti-war campaigner who was at Wednesday's protest, said if Ms Laing's allegations about police conduct were true then it was worrying.

She added: 'The demonstrations are not just about the war in Iraq, it's about the current situation in Iraq. At the end of the day our lads are being killed and the infrastructure is not being built.'

Cheshire police admit it is unclear what happened on Monday because the relevant people are now off duty. But it is believed the officer concerned was tasked with finding a contact number from organisers in connection with the Chester demonstration.

Spokeswoman Jaine Barry said: 'Having spoken to other officers in the Chester Division, I am told that the officer who attended the protest meeting was asked to acquire only one contact number from a member of the group who was helping to organising the protest.'