Six anti-war protesters from the Stroud Peace Group have established a camp in Kempsford, two miles from the main gate to the US air base.

They plan to stay there for a month in the run up to a possible war with Iraq.

Coordinator Jill Chadwick told the BBC that the plan is to show what the base would be used for in the event of a war.

'Contingency response'

"It is going to be used for B2 stealth bombers if wars starts and we are concerned about this.

We would be very pleased for company if people want to come and join or visit us," she added.

A spokesperson for the base told BBC News Online: "Members of protest groups are free citizens and are free to express themselves non-violently in accordance with UK law."

"We are a contingency response base, and if tasked, are ready to support.

"I cannot talk operationally about specific aircraft."

RAF Fairford has frequently been the target of anti-war campaigns, and protests have been held there on a number of occasions in past weeks.

In 1999 a group of women set up a peace camp outside the base to argue against the NATO bombing of Kosovo.