Climate change activists due in court over Heathrow protest

Thirteen climate change activists will appear in court over a protest which caused delays at Heathrow Airport.

The members of activist group Plane Stupid are accused of cutting a hole in a fence and chaining themselves to railings on the north runway in a demonstration against airport expansion.

They have said they will hold another protest before appearing at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court in west London charged with aggravated trespass and entering a security restricted area of an aerodrome.

The demonstration at around 3.30am on July 13 caused delays for passengers around the world and 22 flights out of the airport were cancelled.

It came after a long-awaited report recommended a new runway should be built at Heathrow rather than Gatwick.

After three years of investigation, the Airports Commission said Heathrow was best placed to provide "urgently required" capacity.

But environmentalists warned that building a new runway there will make it harder to reduce air pollution and climate change emissions.

The defendants are:

:: Rebecca Holly Sanderson, 27, of Newton Road, Machynlleth, Powys

:: Richard Steven Hawkins, 32, and Kara Lauren Moses, 31, both of Heol y Doll, Machynlleth, Powys

:: Ella Gilbert, 23, of Magdalen Street, Norwich, Norfolk

:: Melanie Strickland, 32, of Borwick Avenue, Waltham Forest, north east London

:: Danielle Louise Paffard, 28, of Blenhiem Grove, Peckham, south east London

:: Graham Edward James Thompson, 42, of Durlston Road, Hackney, north east London

:: Sheila Menon, 43, of Pellerin Road, Hackney

:: Cameron Joseph Kaye, 23, Edward Thacker, 26, Alistair Craig Tamlit, 27, and Sam Sender, 23, all of Kenwood Close, Sipson, West Drayton, west London

:: Robert Anthony Basto, 67, of Blackborough Road, Reigate, Surrey