PLACARD-waving protesters made their feelings known about benefit cuts at a rally in Poole on Thursday.

Around a dozen protestors gathered outside the Job Centre in Dear Hay Lane in a bid to get their message across.

Members of the Bournemouth and Poole Anti Cuts Coalition took part in a National Day of Protest against government reforms to welfare for the disabled and unemployed.

Protester Helen Thomas from Poole, who has MS, bore a placard stating, “You can take by benefits if you take my disease”.

She said: “We wanted to let people know we are here.

“We are campaigning against all of it, not just some of the union stuff but more down to the ground.

“Benefits are a hard one to sell,” she said.

“So many people think benefits, ‘scroungers’.

“We want to let people know that’s not it.”

She said she would be taking part in Saturday’s march and mass rally at the quay in Poole in support of the NHS, which is expected to attract hundreds of protesters.

“The NHS is a fundamental thing,” she said.

“I can’t imagine life without it.

“We want to do whatever we can. Most people feel like that.”