There could be an increase in night flights from the airport

A Government white paper has suggested three new paths, as passenger and freight numbers reach record levels.

However people living under one of the paths claim it will mean a flight every three minutes between 1am and 6am.

They say this would destroy their quality of life.

Campaigners have met with officials from the Department of Transport, who reassured them that stringent controls on night flights would be put in place.

But the protesters say there has been little consultation about the proposals, and the Civil Aviation Authority will be making a decision on the flight paths in the next eight weeks.

At a protest in February, Friends of the Earth claimed up to a 120,000 people's sleep could be affected by night flights at the international airport.