A VILLAGE hall overflowed with people attending a meeting to protest against the planned airport at Cliffe, near Rochester.

Members of the public crammed into the hall in Pottery Road, Hoo, after forming long queues to get in. They greeted a series of passionate speeches against the plans with thunderous applause.

The meeting was one of a series organised in villages on the Hoo Peninsula to drum up support for the protests.

Chris Fribbins, vice-chairman of Cliffe and Cliffe Woods parish council: "You hear a diesel engine at Hoo junction four miles away. Can you imagine what it would be like with the airport at that distance?"

Mr Fribbins also spoke about the threat to bird life and pointed out: "The birds don't breed here but they use this as a valuable service station. They feed here before they go on with their migration."

He urged people to write to local newspapers, take part in radio phone-ins and deliver leaflets and said the pressure should be kept up right until the consultation period ended on November 30.

Perry Haines, who is spearheading the RSPB's campaign against the airport, said there would be a long summer ahead for campaigners to prepare their arguments for when MPs returned from the Parliamentary recess in the autumn.

Another meeting is being held at Higham memorial hall at 7.20pm on Monday, September 2.