Hundreds of anti-coal activists have entered a mine in western Germany to protest against the continued extraction and use of fossil fuels.

Environmentalists object to the German government's decision to allow the mining and burning of coal in the country until 2038, a deadline the activists say is too late to effectively tackle climate change.

Activists, dressed in coloured overalls and braving wind and rain, are also protesting over the planned destruction of several villages to make way for the expansion of the Garzweiler strip mine, west of Cologne.

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A reporter witnessed some protesters break through police lines early on Saturday before being detained by officers.

Utility company RWE said that some protesters also entered coal storage facilities.

The Garzweiler mine and nearby power plants have been a focus of protests for several years.