Thousands of protesters create gigantic NO sign in march against Heathrow expansion

Organisers had hoped today's demonstration would be the biggest-ever against the further expansion of the airport, with tens of thousands attending the Make A Noise Carnival - as it is dubbed - from all over Britain.

The demonstrators walked from Hatton Cross to Sipson - the village that will be lost if plans for a third runway at Heathrow go ahead.

Loud and clear: Thousands of campaigners formed a 'no' sign at the village of Sipson, set to be destroyed by airport expansion

At Sipson, 2,600 protesters gathered in a field to form a huge 'NO' sign that can be seen from the passenger planes stacking around the giant airport to land.

Politicians and environmentalists were set to address the crowds and bands were scheduled to play.

Organiser Tamsin Omond said earlier: 'We are expecting tens of thousands to attend - the weather is good so fingers crossed.'

Protesters spoke of the reasons they had made the journey to west London today.

Green by nature: A Green Party supporter makes a graphic point at the protest

Martin Newell, 40, from Hackney, East London, said: 'I'm a Catholic priest and God created this world. To destroy it is blasphemy.'

Lewis Jones, 21, from Roehampton, South London, said: 'I'm here just because the public need to know.

'Economic expansion and growth is all very well for those making the money but the damage it's doing to the planet is not acceptable.'

Student Camille Barton, 19, from North London, said: "I read an article about Tamsin Omond, the organiser of the protest, and what she's done has been a real inspiration for me."

British Transport Police said the airport's eastern and northern perimeter roads would be closed during the march and so would one lane of the A4 eastbound.

Greenpeace chief John Sauven, who joined the march, said: "There is no need whatsoever for a third runway. If everybody took trains to Manchester, Paris, Scotland and Brussels rather than flying then a third runway would not need to be built.

"Now it's about the campaign gathering weight before the MPs break for summer - and it is. We've had support from the Archbishop of Canterbury and all of the London mayoral candidates."

He said he expected the atmosphere to be very different from last year's Climate Camp demonstrations, which saw violent clashes between police and protesters.

A sea of banners at Hatton Cross as protesters gather to march on Heathrow

No thanks: Protesters take part in today's demonstration against the expansion of Heathrow airport at Hatton Cross, West London

Mr Sauven said: 'This is a peaceful protest. It's a real carnival atmosphere with children and local communities getting involved.'

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, sent a message of support to the demonstrators.

Read out before protestors marched from Hatton Cross station, it said: 'Christians, like all people of faith, believe that human beings are on Earth as stewards of God's creation. As such we have a responsibility, both to God and to generations to come, to ensure that this remains a sustainable world.

'Concern for our environment is a clear imperative arising from the respect we owe to creation and to each other.'