A THURROCK mum who is alleged to have tried to nudge an eco protester out of the way as she blocked the road during a climate change protest in the borough in October has been charged by police with assault.

There have been no charges yet against the protesters, despite a ruling by the government that was aimed at ensuring they faced jail if the disruption to traffic continued.

The protest took place on London Road in West Thurrock on 13 October. Members of the campaign group Insulate Britain blocked the road and adjacent St Clements way.

Sherrilyn Speid, 34, of North Road, Purfleet, has been charged with dangerous driving and assault by beating by Essex Police following the incident where she was filmed storming out of her vehicle and shouting at the protesters who were blocking the road near the Dartford Crossing that she needed to get her child to school.

Confronting members of the group, the footage shows her shouting and warning the campaigners: "Move out the way." She is then seen returning to her vehicle and tried to move it forward and made contact with a protester.

A spokesman for Essex Police has confirmed it has received authorisation from the Crown Prosecution Service to take action, adding: "Sherrilyn Speid, 34, of North Road, Purfleet, will be summonsed to appear at Basildon Magistrates' Court on January 6 to be charged with dangerous driving and assault by beating.

"This incident occurred while the road was being disrupted and our complex investigation into that disruption is ongoing."

The force confirmed it made 94 arrests in connection with the disruption caused on the M25 and M11 and their nearby feeder roads in September and October. The spokesman added that those investigations are progressing, and they are in consistent dialogue with the Crown prosecution Service.

"When dealing with these incidents, we police them without fear or favour in a manner to keep everyone at the scene safe and we have consistently said our priority is to keep our county's roads moving," the spokesman added.

The female protester remains under investigation following the incident, say police.