Thousands of BBC staff around the country abandoned their posts at lunchtime today to participate in a protest against planned mass job cuts.

The demonstration was timed to coincide with the unveiling of Tessa Jowell's green paper on the future of the corporation.

Director-general Mark Thompson is planning to make budget savings of 15% across the board, with thousands of workers facing the axe as a result.

Participants in the event donned badges with the slogans "I love our BBC" and "Fight for our BBC."

"This is not industrial action, but we're encouraging staff to join the protest to show how angry they are over the proposed cuts," said Paul McLaughlin, national broadcasting official of the NUJ.

Thompson is due to unveil full details of his cost-cutting plans later this month.