A COUPLE were arrested after an incident in which a BP stand at the CBI annual conference was sprayed with red paint.

Protesters got past security at Manchester's G-Mex centre and approached the BP stand, which had previously been targeted by a larger group of about 20 demonstrators who got into the centre as the conference began on Sunday.

A male BP employee went to hospital for checks to ensure that he would not be harmed by paint sprayed on to his skin, while a pregnant woman working on the stand for BP was said to be extremely shocked by the two incidents.

CBI director general Digby Jones said: "The lady who was seriously upset on Sunday by a bloke in a mask being aggressive towards her got paint all over her and she is pregnant.

"BP are a first-class UK company and we are delighted to have them here and to have them as members."

The CBI was happy to listen to the noisy but peaceful demonstrations staged by the Amicus union and the Fire Brigades Union during the conference, said Mr Jones.

But he added: "It is an insult to the way that Amicus and the firefighters conducted themselves that someone should do this.

"We will do everything we can to ensure that there are prosecutions."

Mr Jones insisted that security arrangements at the conference were adequate and said he had no criticism of the police or stewards.

A small group of anti-war and anti-globalisation protesters outside the centre said the attack on the BP stand was not carried out by a specific group, but by individual campaigners.

"It's just double standards that they've been arrested when the police don't arrest BP," said one, who refused to be named.

"This action sends out a clear message to any unscrupulous multinational."

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "Two people were arrested following an incident in the exhibition hall this morning.

"One man and one woman have been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage and will be interviewed later today."