A judicial review of controversial plans to expand Stansted Airport in Essex started at the High Court on Wednesday.

There is fierce local opposition to possible plans for three new runways.

Campaigners against the Stansted expansion demonstrated outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London at the start of the two-day hearing.

Residents who fear their lives will be blighted are challenging the lawfulness of the government's consultation paper on the expansion of airport capacity in the South East.

Transport policy

The Stansted protesters are supported by opponents of plans for a major new airport at Cliffe in Kent.

The judge hearing the case, Mr Justice Maurice Kay, will examine why Gatwick Airport was not considered for expansion instead.

The case is of wide significance because the consultation paper concerns the development of air transport policy for the next 30 years.

Retired libel solicitor Peter Carter-Ruck, who is the head of the Stop Stansted Expansion Campaign legal committee, says the consultation process is already fatally flawed because it fails to consider all possible options for expanding airport capacity.