There have been previous anti-war protests in Albert Square

Sir Richard Leese told campaign group Military Families Against The War its Albert Square camp was unacceptable on health and safety grounds.

The council leader said the authority had a "proud record" of supporting protest and had opposed the Iraq war.

But spokeswoman Rose Gentle said the group would defy council objections.

Campaigners wanted to erect tents in front of the town hall to coincide with the Labour Party Conference, which starts at the nearby G-Mex centre on 22 September.

War protest

But a request from about 20 people was rejected by Manchester City Council on health and safety grounds.

In a letter to the group, Sir Richard said: "We have been liaising fully with organisers of the 'Stop the War' march to be held in Manchester on September 23, to the extent that they will be using our stage.

"Indeed one of the reasons for rejecting your request to a camp in Albert Square is that we will need to be erecting that very staging.

I am preparing to spend three days in a tent to try and make people think about the realities for all of us Pam Heywood, campaigner Read a campaigner's thoughts

"We have also, with the police, identified a location close to the convention centre, where people will be able to visibly and audibly make their protests throughout the period of the conference.

"We would like you to be reasonable in identifying a compromise that would be acceptable to us on health and safety and public liability grounds, and still allows you to exercise your right to protest."

But Mrs Gentle, whose son Gordon died in Iraq in 2004, said the council had ignored them until the media picked up the story.

"We don't see why we can't do it... when we've been asking them for weeks," she said.

Mrs Gentle said some members of the group had written to the council in June, outlining plans to bring special tents and their own portable toilets.

"They never acknowledged us until we went for a meeting with the police," she added.

"We're going to carry on protesting."

About 17,000 extra visitors are expected to begin arriving in the city from 22 September for the five-day conference.