Terminal Five at Heathrow is a bone of contention

Demonstrators from the villages of Sipson and Harmondsworth stormed the stage at an aviation industry conference the minister was addressing.

Some residents could lose their homes under plans for a third runway.

Protester Dr John Hunt told the audience at Chatham House in London: "For decades the government has betrayed us with broken promises."

'More concrete'

He went on: "In the 80s we were told (Heathrow) Terminal 4 would be the last expansion, then in the 90s we were told Terminal 5 would be the end.

"Now we're facing yet more noise and more concrete, and this time they want to wipe our entire community off the map.

"The time for gentle persuasion is over. Douglas Alexander is warned: The fight back has begun."

Richard George, from protest group Plane Stupid, said: "While ministers like Douglas Alexander preach about action to stop climate change, they're concreting over local democratic opposition to new runways with their plans to cater for unnecessary and climate-wrecking short-haul flights.

"It's not surprising that having failed though conventional protest, the residents have decided to up the ante."

A spokesman for the minister said he had no comment to make on the incident, in which protesters managed to breach security and unfurl a banner reading No Third Runway.