Police who arrested six peaceful protestors making a stand against ID cards are under investigation by their own force.

The protestors were arrested and held for 20 hours as police searched their homes and confiscated property.

Phil Capon, 49, who was leading the demonstrators, said he and and four others had complained to Northumbria Police about their allegedly wrongful arrest and false imprisonment.

The officers responsible could now face investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

The arrests were made in September last year as Mr Capon and his group made their way to stage a peaceful protest in Newcastle against the Government's controversial plans for identity cards.

While driving to their destination, the sight of a meeting of EU interior ministers, they claim they were boxed in by police vans, searched and arrested for allegedly breaching the peace.

After being questioned in police cells for two hours, the group were charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage. The charges were later dropped.

Mr Capon, a local government official, said: "If people aren't allowed to express their feelings on issues like ID cards then that is the end of democracy."

A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: "We can confirm we have received a complaint, which will be fully investigated."