There was lots of monkey business in Seend, near Devizes, on Saturday afternoon as members of the campaign group Fathers4Justice lobbied the home of High Court Judge, Sir Mathew Thorpe.

Ten uniformed police officers, including a dog team, protected Sir Mathew's home, Beech House, from 15 protesters, many of them dressed in monkey suits, carrying placards saying "Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil".

At the front of procession, which left the Bell Inn on the way along the village High Street, was Mark Harris, who waged a ten-year legal battle to gain access to his three daughters, chronicled in his book, Family Court Hell.

He wheeled a wheelbarrow full of legal papers which he wanted to present to Sir Mathew to highlight the complexity imposed on his simple desire to see his children.

He told the Gazette: "All we want is the same rights as mum's new boyfriend, who can see the children any time he wants. The dad has to go to court to fight for that right and if the mother doesn't comply, the courts do nothing.

"The law is in place. It is the Children's Act 1989. All we are asking is that it is enforced and fathers are allowed to be fathers."

Mr Harris had come from Plymouth to register his protest, but others had come much further.

Oliver Stones and his partner Marta Kolonko, had made the five-hour drive from East Yorkshire to take part in the protest.

Ms Kolonko is in the second year of a three-year legal course at Hull University because she wants to work to change family law in England.

She said: "The law in this country is ridiculous. It reminds me of North Korea. Oliver has a little boy four years old. We love him. But we managed to see him in August only because of a court order. The law must be changed."

At the entrance to Beech House, Mr Harris thanked all those who supported him. He said: "Sir Mathew is not in today, but I hope we'll catch him another time.

"For the moment, I would like to ask him, what have you got to hide?"