CAMPAIGNERS have marched on Parliament on behalf of Pendle-based bed manufacturers Silentnight to call for VAT to be scrapped on British-made beds and mattresses.

The stunt came ahead of today’s budget from the Government and saw hundreds of people take to the streets of Westminster to make their point.

The firm, which has just announced it will be creating 140 new jobs at its factory in Barnoldswick, has launched the Silent Revolution campaign to encourage a good night’s sleep for everybody.

Hundreds of people hired by the firm dressed up in Silentnight pyjamas and joined the company’s hippo mascot to take their campaign to London in the early hours of the morning.

They were calling on the Government to make VAT zero on British-made beds and mattresses to help the population get a better night’s sleep and support domestic manufacturers.

The campaign has been launched on the back of a Shattered Britain study, commission by the firm, that found 75 per cent of people were not getting their recommended eight hours of sleep every night.

Sleep therapist and author of Tired But Wired Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, a spokesperson for Silentnight said: “We all know how important a good night’s sleep is, and the Shattered Britain study shows just what an impact a lack of sleep seems to have on us all.

“Sadly it can have a detrimental effect on work, health and relationships which is compounded by the stresses and strains of our daily lives.”