By Express Reporter LEON SYMONS

SEVEN thousand protestors besieged a town hall last night in revolt against a 62 per cent rate rise.

For the second time in less than a month ruling Labour councillors had to cringe inside the town hall at Waltham Forest, East London.

Any Labour representative appearing at a window was jeered and booed and the meeting inside the council chamber went ahead to a background of anti Labour chants and songs like Rule Britannia being blasted over the Tannoy system outside.

A deputation of the ratepayers' action group met council chairman Neil Gerrard but later group spokesman Alan Crown said: "We don't hold out much hope of them changing their minds and reducing the level to a point where it is more reasonable."

Now the action group will try to get the rate rise--the second biggest in Britain--to be the subject of a judicial review.

Labour group deputy leader Councillor Bill Dennis said the increase would stay.

"There is no discussion about rates at tonight's meeting. It is mainly to elect the new mayor," he said.

"No one likes paying increases in their rates.

"But no one likes being homeless, or having their children sent home because there are no teachers, or having no meals for the elderly."