After hopping off a train from London Arthur Scargill arrived in Strood and jumped into a Medway taxi headed straight for camp for climate action.

At the first police check point at the top of Dux Court Road Arthur shook hands with police before being allowed through and making his way up the lane towards protest HQ.

Just as I was heading pass the police cordon I spotted the Yorkshire mining giant and went round the roundabout in pursuit.

In my haste I pulled my car in front of the 71 -year-old much to his shock.

But before he had a chance to react I leapt out and took my opportunity to grab him.

This was the man who led the National Union of Mineworkers throughout the miners strike in 1984, putting the fear of God into Margaret Thatcher's Tory government and vice-versa.

Despite Mr Scargill fighting to keep coal mines open climate campers, asked him to come and give a workshop on trade unions on the opening Monday of the protest.

As we walked up the lane to the camp site he had no airs and graces and no entourage. He told me all about the reasons behind his visit and came across as a very warm character.

Describing himself as the most moderate political leader possibly in Britain today he said: "I believe that although I am totally committed to the environment these campers are selecting the wrong target, the wrong fuel and at the wrong time.

"What is needed is an explanation as to what is going on in Britain today. We have been told that if we stop burning coal and using it in power stations then CO2 emissions will reduce dramatically and be the benefit to everybody.

"But since 1982 we have seen the closure of 192 pits and the closure of the majority of coal fired power stations and yet the amount of CO2 going into the atmosphere has increased.

"The question is how and why, the answer is they have been cutting down rainforest and using alternative energies that do produce CO2."

"I'm in favour of building all new coal fired power stations throughout Britain and getting rid of gas, oil and the abomination of nuclear power.

"We are running out of these fuels, they are undesirable and expensive.

"Yet under our feet including here in Kent we have over 1000 years of coal reserves.

"And to me not to use this is mad particularly when we have the technology to remove acid rain and remove CO2 emissions."

"Camps like this are terrific, provided they're at the right place, this isn't.

"We should be using the resources under our noses and developing clean coal technology to generate electricity. It seems to me to be common sense."

"I have been involved in direct action all my life.

"But the direct action should be directed to towards nuclear power stations and gas not coal."