Spider women protest ,scaling London’s tallest skyscraper in a dramatic protest against drilling in the Arctic.

Six female activists were today scaling London’s tallest skyscraper in a dramatic protest against drilling in the Arctic.

The Greenpeace protesters began their dangerous ascent of the 72-storey Shard tower in the early hours of this morning.

The lead climbers were said to be “free-climbing” but were fixing safety ropes as they progressed up the glass building.

They were able to access the 310m building, the tallest in western Europe, at 4am from the roof of nearby London Bridge station.One third of the way into the climb, security officials attempted to talk them down through an open window but the women continued their ascent of the building with the goal of unfurling a banner from its peak.

Greenpeace said the action was intended to put Shell and other oil companies in the spotlight.

They said this evening that the climbers would not be unfurling the banner  because it was unsafe to do so.

The charity said on its Greenpeace UK Twitter page: "The art installation takes 4 hours so the climbers have decided it's not safe to install before it gets dark.

"We're still far from certain whether they can make it to the top but they're going to try. Only the two most experienced climbers will try the final ascent."

Greenpeace said it could take two hours for the climbers to reach the top, and there was a "large chance" they would not make it.

Earlier they said: “They chose to climb the Shard because it towers over Shell’s three London offices, including the oil giant’s global headquarters on the Southbank of the Thames.

“Shell is leading the oil companies’ drive into the Arctic, investing billions in its Alaskan and Russian drilling programmes.

“A worldwide movement of millions has sprung up to stop them, but Shell is refusing to abandon its plans. More pictures and videos coming soon.