Heathrow cancels flights after protesters get on runway

Heathrow Airport cancelled some flights yesterday after at least 12 activists cut through a perimeter fence and chained themselves together on a runway to protest against the possible expansion of Britain's biggest airport.

In a stunt which raised questions about the security of Europe's busiest airport, the activists said it took only minutes to cut through an apparently unguarded wire fence before dawn, granting them access to the northern runway.

"Both runways are open, although there will still be delays and a few cancellations - we are sorry for the disruption to passengers," Heathrow said in an emailed statement.

The activists, from a group called 'Plane Stupid' which opposes the growth of aviation, said a £23 billion (HK$276.4 billion) plan to build a third runway at Heathrow would increase carbon emissions and be blocked by further protests.

Pictures posted by activists on Twitter showed them chained together, some smiling under blankets at dawn and lying beside the black scars left by the tyres of landing jets.

Later pictures showed some being led away by British police, who said that six had been arrested and about seven activists remained on the runway some six hours later.