Crowds of anti-war protesters brought the centre of Brighton to a halt as they marched through the city to campaign against a factory providing parts for fighter jets.

Demonstrators from Manchester and London were among more than 100 people who arrived at The Level off Ditchling Road just before noon on Saturday for the latest protest against EDO MBM Technology.

Despite some minor scuffles with police, the demonstration passed peacefully and no arrests were made.

EDO MBM, based in Home Farm Road, Brighton, makes bomb release components for war planes.

Members of the campaign group Smash EDO arrived at the demonstration with a charge sheet against company bosses accusing them of complicity with war crimes in Iraq.

The march is the second to take place since an injunction was granted against the group last month under a law usually applied to stalkers.

Under the terms of the injunction, campaigners are allowed to demonstrate at any time in any numbers but are not allowed to enter an exclusion zone around the factory.

Protester Chris Osmond, 26, from Brighton, said: "The High Court injunction has made the protest against EDO MBM a national issue because an Act has been misused to stem the lawful right for freedom of expression and peaceful protest.

"On the day the war in Iraq started this city was taken over by the peace movement.

"People are concerned about what is happening in Iraq and the repression of people around the world and this factory is part of the engine which drives that."

Children in push chairs, older people and representatives from anti-war groups across Sussex turned into Trafalgar Street just after 12.30pm, closely flanked by scores of police officers on foot.

Officers from across the county brought in to swell the ranks supported Brighton-based officers as the demonstration moved outside Brighton station and on to Queen's Road.

But as the crowds tried to continue into the city centre, police halted the march and warned protesters they faced arrest for breach of the peace if they continued any further.

People trying to reach the station were among those caught up in gridlock near the junction with Upper Gloucester Road as protest organisers spent about 20 minutes negotiating a route with police officers.

Banners declaring "EDO has got to go" and "Bombs out of Brighton" were held aloft while other protesters banged drums and blew whistles.

Tourist Fiona McHugh, 32, from London, was among the customers in the shops and cafes in the busy street who watched the demonstration. She said: "We knew nothing about EDO MBM ten minutes ago but we do now and I think this kind of protest is a good idea.

"For someone to have the freedom to demonstrate is so much more important then a five-minute delay in your journey but the police presence seems very heavy handed."

Campaigners handed out leaflets about EDO MBM to shoppers and passers-by as the direction of the march was finally approved.

But when crowds turned into North Road minor scuffles broke out as police circled the demonstration.

One 55-year-old civil servant from Brighton, who asked not to be named, said: "This is the first anti-EDO demonstration I have been on and I think it is appalling that there is a bomb factory in this town.

"I am outraged at the way police are fencing us in like this and that an Act has been used to try to prevent peaceful protest against what millions of people see as an illegal war."

Traffic travelling along Marlborough Place and Grand Parade was brought to a standstill as the march moved toward the Old Steine at about 2pm.

Roads normally packed with weekend traffic were deserted as the procession continued on to Edward Street and Brighton police station - its final destination. Police lined up outside their offices as crowds arrived in John Street just after 2.30pm.

Armed with loud speakers protesters called for a delegation to be allowed in to the front desk to hand over the charge sheet against EDO MBM directors along with a petition.

But it was left to Brighton police Superintendent Kevin Moore to come out and face the crowds and sign a receipt officially receiving documents from campaigners.

Mr Moore said: "The organisers did not let us know how many people were attending the demonstration and we had no idea what the numbers were going to be.

"But we have allowed people to conduct their protest in a reasonable way. I have had to take into account people in Brighton and Hove will still want to go about their business."

The protest dispersed shortly after 3pm.

No one from EDO MBM was available for comment.