Protestors ground Stansted flights

Stansted flights" class="imageframe alignright" height="200" src="http://pictures.directnews.co.uk/liveimages/Plane+Stupid+Stansted+demo_1455_18916444_0_0_7022663_300.jpg" width="200"/>An environmental protest has grounded all flights departing from Stansted airport.

Flights were due to begin at 06:10 GMT, but a group of demonstrators from the Plane Stupid group begun a protest – entering a secure area near the runway – earlier this morning.

Four arrests have been made by police, while authorities are now in the process of removing the remaining members on the ground – numbering up to 50 – who are presently chained together.

Inbound flights are being diverted.

In a statement on the group's website Plane Stupid said: "The group intends to maintain its blockade for as long as possible, preventing the release of thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere."

The group hopes to prevent departures from the airport, with a hope of slowing the "monumental" impact of climate change.

In response a statement from Stansted Airport explained: "At approximately 03:00 an unknown number of individuals breached security, but shortly afterwards were held by police. This continues to be the situation.

"Due to this event the runway is closed and will continue to be so until further notice.

"The advice to passengers is to contact their airlines directly who can advise them, but we are expecting delays."

BAA has recently been given permission to expand operations at Stansted.

Plans are now being finalised to increase passenger numbers from 25 million to 35 million a year at Stansted, with the number of flights leaving the airport increasing from 241,000 to 264,000 a year.