Fathers 4 Justice protester causes 10-mile traffic jam after he scales M25 gantry
A Fathers 4 Justice protester dressed as batman forced the closure of one of Britain's busiest roads this morning after he climbed onto a gantry.
The stunt caused a 10-mile tailback on the M25 between junctions 14 and 15.
Holidaymakers heading to Heathrow Airport were among those caught in long tailbacks after four lanes of the on the anti-clockwise carriageway were closed.
The protester has been named as Geoffrey Hibbert - a 48-year-old computer engineer.
Hibbert began his protest at 7am, claiming he had not seen his daughter since last summer.
After climbing onto the gantry he unfurled a Fathers 4 Justice banner and displayed pictures of his eight-year-old daughter, forcing police to close the motorway.
Hibbert, from Farnborough, Hants., has been told by police that they will forcibly end his protest if he continues to refuse to come down.
However, he has no plans to come down and insists he will stay all day.
The protester claimed he has not seen his daughter, Chyann, since his former partner left him.
Despite taking the matter to court he has not been able to get access to the schoolgirl who on the Isle of Wight.
'My daughter is my life,' he said. 'I cannot described how not being able to see her makes me feel.
'Chyann is eight-and-a-half years old and I haven't seen her since August 12 last year when she was taken from me.
'If I had done that I would be in prison for kidnap but my ex-partner can do it and it's fine. Where is the justice?'
Ron Reed, a friend of Mr Hibert, said: 'I've just spoken to him, he's okay and he's doing it for his daughter.
'He's been driven to desperation, he's been through all the courts to get access to his daughter and it's cost him £27,000.
'He last saw her in August last year and he's only spoken to her once.
'The courts are so geared to the mother, the father gets no justice and that means the kids don't get justice.'
The affected section is on the anti-clockwise carriageway near the M4 turn-off for Heathrow.
The Highways Agency is warning drivers to expect delays of up to 90 minutes with traffic jams stretching back to junction 18.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'We were alerted at 7am by a man on the gantry of the M25 near junction 14 at Hillingdon.
'The clockwise carriageway is open as normal but the anti-clockwise carriageway is open with lane closures.
'We don't negotiate with people in these circumstance but will endeavour to speak to the man and encourage him to come down safely given the position he is in.'
Parent protest: Mr Hibbert unfurls a series of pictures of his daughter
Traffic jam: Thousands of cars and trucks were hit by Hibbert's protest
Thumbs up: Geoffrey Hibbert signals to a supporter this morning
