Protestors invade Manchester Airport over expansion plans

Campaigners have cut through a perimeter fence at Manchester Airport in protest against the airport's plans to extend its World Freight Terminal.

A spokesman at Manchester Airport, said: "At around 7.10am this morning protestors cut through a fence at Manchester Airport and gained access to a remote area of the airfield. They also staged a simultaneous protest at the airport's freight centre. The disruption to the airport's operations was minimal and the airport is open for business as usual."

The protestors are part of a group known as Manchester Plane Stupid which believes the proposals would have a major environmental impact on their nearby homes.

Manchester Airport plans to increase the capacity of inbound and outbound freight from its current handling of 170,000 tonnes to 250,000 tonnes of cargo a year by 2015.