Plans to develop one of Britain's World War II airfields into an �80m civilian airport have provoked strong opposition from an unlikely alliance.

Campaigners are demanding a full public inquiry into the conversion of the former RAF base at Finningley, near Doncaster - one of half a dozen the Ministry of Defence is hoping to sell-off or lease to the private sector.

The developers, Peel Holdings, are planning 24-hour flights, shifting 60,000 tonnes of freight and up to 2.3 million passengers a year.

But the scheme has given rise to an improbable union of opponents - from a multi-millionaire, Tory-supporting furniture tycoon to a pidgeon-fancying, Communist ex-miner.

On Wednesday, the federation of opposition groups - Finningley Airport Network - is set to unveil its plans for resisting the development.

Campaigners will also spell out why hundreds of residents have been flocking to protest meetings in recent weeks.

In a depressed region still suffering the effects of whole-sale pit closures it is hardly surprising the scheme is enthusiastically supported by Doncaster borough council and most local MPs.

After all, the developer is promising an extra 7,300 jobs over the next decade.

Many people in the local community are fully behind the council.

Members of the opposition alliance include Lord Kirkham - formerly Graham Kirkham of DFS furniture - who was a major donor to the Conservative Party.

Self-made tycoon

Retired miner Brian Robson is as far politically from his fellow-campaigner as it is possible to be.

Another opponent is the former chairman of Polypipe, Kevin McDonald, another self-made tycoon and local resident.

The chairman of Finningley Airport Network is chartered surveyor Martin Bell.

He said: "It does seem an odd combination of interests.

"But the one thing all of us share is a high degree of scepticism about the proposed airport - and an even stronger conviction that to rush it through without a proper public inquiry is profoundly undemocratic."

Lord Kirkham, who like other opponents lives near to the site, has helped fund a noise-level study which said the planning application should be refused on the grounds that the impact on residents and environment had not been fully assessed.

Protesters say it is quite wrong to compare the planned airport with the old RAF base from which "V" bombers once flew.

Only in rare circumstances, they say, did military night-flying take place.

"Doncaster Council have not introduced any traffic calming measures - no zebra crossings or foot-bridges,"says campaigner Jill Stirland, whose 11-year-old daughter attends a local school.

"They even threatened to raise the speed limit from 30 to 40mph on one road, until there was an outcry."

'Hell'

Like other campaigners, she is extremely critical of claims that the new airport will bring more than 7,000 jobs in its wake.

They calculate it will be nearer 1,000 in the Bawtry area.

But they say that benefit has to be set against the price of wrecked peace, non-stop heavy traffic, air pollution and damage to the environment.

As to the involvement of Lord Kirkham and Kevin McDonald, she says: "Yes, I know many people will say they're rich people looking after their own interests.

"But they are local - and having once lived for many years near Gatwick I know what hell it can be!"

She said if the government would agree to a public inquiry, the vast majority of residents would abide by the outcome knowing at least the arguments had been thoroughly aired.