Anti-war campaigners gathered in Oxford tonight to protest against the Government's decision to start bombing Islamic State in Syria.

Air strikes were launched after 397 MPs voted in favour, and 223 against, following a day-long debate in the House of Commons yesterday.

The hour-long vigil at Carfax, organised by Oxford Stop the War Coalition, featured several speeches.

Organiser Edmund Griffiths, from East Oxford, said: "Obviously we are very disappointed with the vote and we wanted to do something.

"The British involvement in the war is only going to kill more innocent people.

"IS comes as a result of us bombing Iraq and Afghanistan and we have not learnt from that."

He added: "But I must give credit to Oxford East MP Andrew Smith who voted against, having voted for the Iraq War."

The protest lasted an hour in Cornmarket Street as people paraded placards and flags with anti-war sentiments.

Oxford city councillor for Iffley Fields Elise Benjamin said: "This will put us more at risk.

"I feel for the innocent people in Syria and it will also lead to more people fleeing the country."

Nuala Young, from Rose Hill, and part of the Oxfordshire Peace Campaign, added: "I am so disturbed that once again we have decided to bomb another country."

Naomi Read came from Surrey with her friend Beth Spackman for the vigil.

The 21-year-old said: "We wanted to do something and this was our nearest protest so we drove for over an hour.

"We wanted to stand up for our generation and show that young people care."