Anti-war campaigners were refused access to Downing Street yesterday to deliver a letter calling for troops to be pulled out of Afghanistan.

About 100 noisy demonstrators crossed Whitehall to take up a position in front of the gates leading into the street, chanting and waving banners. A group of four protest organisers were told they would not be allowed access to hand the letter in to No 10.

MP Jeremy Corbyn and veteran peace campaigner Tony Benn were among the group hoping to take the letter to Downing Street.

But they were told it had “been decided” they would not be allowed in.

Mr Corbyn said: “It's a shabby way of treating the majority of British people who are alarmed by the loss of life in Afghanistan.”

The rally was organised by the Stop the War Coalition to mark the death toll of British military personnel in Afghanistan, which has surpassed that of troops in Iraq.

Stop the War Coalition convener Lindsey German said: “They wouldn't allow us in and when I asked why not the policeman at the gate said, ‘it's been decided'. By whom, we don't know.”

Demonstrators were asked to cross back over the road and position themselves behind the barriers.

But they continued to occupy the space in front of the Downing Street gates, chanting: “What do we want? Troops out. When do we want it? Now.”