A VIGIL arranged by Glos Stays was held in Stroud High Street today against Theresa May’s triggering of Article 50 which will see the UK leave the European Union within the next two years.

The hour long silent vigil at noon consisted of 14 residents, councillors and a dog showing their displeasure at the decision to leave the EU.

The group held signs that read: ‘I love EU’, ‘We are Europeans, We are Proud’ and ‘Brexit: An epic case of self-harm’, as well as a giant EU flag.

One of the people leading the protest was district councillor and former Stroud mayor John Marjoram, who is part of Glostays, a pro-EU campaign in Gloucestershire.

He argued the 16.1 million people who voted remain are being ignored in the process of the Brexit.

Cllr Marjoram went on to say that because of the amount of people who didn’t vote, the decision was being made by “about 30-odd percent of the population”.

He said about a friend of his knows someone who voted leave believing that they would get a council house, and added that the referendum was a “disaster” for the UK.

The vigil, which was also attended by members of the Labour party in Stroud, was held to coincide with the triggering of Article 50.

Sir Tim Barrow, the UK's ambassador to the EU, handed over the letter signed by the PM to European Council president Donald Tusk at 12.20pm.