Campaigners turned out in force last weekend to throw their support behind the Teddington and Ham Hydro scheme.

Richmond Council's planning committee failed to reach a decision on plans for three reverse Archimedean screw turbines earlier this month and deferred the application, awaiting a further noise report.

But crowds gathered at the site of the proposed scheme at Teddington Weir on Saturday, April 25, to back the initiative, which would be the largest of its kind in the UK.

Baroness Jenny Jones, the first Green Party life peer in the House of Lords, praised the scheme as "well thought out".

She said: "This is a community-led, well thought out scheme that is a novel, creative way of generating electricity for lots of households.

"We should have thousands more projects like this: they would take pressure off other energy sources, meaning we could leave fossil fuels in the ground."

The hydro scheme has received backing from across the political spectrum, including Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors.

Councillor Sarah Tippett, who represents Ham, Petersham and Richmond Riverside ward, said: "I have long been a supporter of this wonderful community initiative.

"Yesterday's gathering just proved what a well-supported and ground breaking project this is.

"It was fantastic to see people of all ages, and all political persuasions, come together."

Leader of Richmond's Liberal Democrats Councillor Stephen Knight said the scheme would be an "important symbol of change and of leadership" for Teddington, Ham and the borough as a whole.

He added: "Global warming is the biggest threat facing humanity and every community must do its own part in cutting carbon emissions.

"This renewable energy project will make a contribution to tackling climate change and help show the way forward to a greener future."

On the same day, protestors campaigning against the scheme made clear their opposition to Teddington and Ham Hydro, arriving for a photo opportunity just 30 minutes earlier.

The Lensbury Club has previously threatened legal action against the plans, claiming noise would spell an end to its lucrative summer weddings and put it out of business.