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Campaigners have insisted they will have 14 penguins "at the centre of every conversation" during crunch two-day talks with the aquarium keeping them captive. Born Free and Freedom for Animals will join other experts for a meeting to discuss Sea Life London Aquarium's gentoos kept in a basement without fresh air or daylight.

The attraction's owner, Merlin Entertainments, has committed to sharing the plan for the animals' futures by the end of this month. Supporters wore penguin suits and paraded outside the South Bank facility with placards demanding bosses "free the 14" ahead of discussions. Dr Mark Jones, Born Free's head of policy, said: "While we continue to be concerned for the 14 penguins that remain at Sea Life London Aquarium, we are encouraged by ongoing and, we believe, genuine dialogue with Sea Life and its parent company, Merlin Entertainments, and remain dedicated to finding a solution for the penguins that will improve the quality of their lives going forward, including the possibility that they will be moved to a different location."

The talks follow the death of Ratchet, the oldest in the colony, who passed away earlier this month aged 31.

He moved to the aquarium in 2017, meaning he spent the last nine years of his life without fresh air or daylight.

Laura Walton, co-director at Freedom for Animals, said: "Freedom for Animals is deeply saddened by the death of Ratchet, one of the gentoo penguins held at Sea Life London. His death strengthens the urgency of the campaign to secure a better future for the remaining penguins, who have spent years confined indoors without natural sunlight, fresh air, or the ability to express natural behaviours.

"Penguins are intelligent wild animals, not attractions. Alongside Born Free and PETA UK, we are in continued discussions with Merlin Entertainments regarding the future of the remaining penguins, with their rights at the centre of every conversation.

"Our position remains clear: Merlin must end the keeping and breeding of penguins and commit to rehoming the remaining individuals to a more suitable environment."

The talks about the animals follow a more than two-year high-profile campaign led by the Daily Express, Freedom for Animals and Born Free.

More than 50,000 members of the public, MPs and celebrities have backed our calls.

A Merlin Entertainments spokeswoman said: "We're in intensive, science-backed discussions with independent experts to determine best next steps and all agree that no change is not an option.

"We're on track to share the plan by the end of May - and are looking forward to conversations next week to shape this."