A CAMPAIGN group is today appealing for public help to make a legal challenge against airport expansion which would send thousands more planes over Suffolk.

A CAMPAIGN group is today appealing for public help to make a legal challenge against airport expansion which would send thousands more planes over Suffolk.

Donations are being sought from the community by Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) - which says the action in the High Court against the government will be hugely expensive.

The group is trying to thwart the government go-ahead for Stansted to handle ten million extra passengers a year - a 40pc increase - on 23,000 extra flights.

It would push to the use of the airport's current runway to its maximum.

Many of the flights would go over Suffolk, adding to the growing noise pollution already being suffered by communities.

So far SSE's action is being supported by environmental groups the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Woodland Trust, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Aviation Environment Federation, HACAN Clear Skies Heathrow campaign group, enough's enough, Plane Stupid, Ramblers Association, We Can, and the World Development Movement.

SSE chairman Peter Sanders said it was hoped other groups, councils and people would also give their support.

“This (legal challenge) will be a major strain on our financial resources especially since we also face the prospect of having to contest plans for a second Stansted runway at a major public inquiry next year,” he said.

“We are therefore appealing to the public for their support.”

Noise suffered by people living close to the airport and those further afield - including beneath flightpaths in Suffolk - is one of the key reasons for the High Court action.

Mr Sanders said approval for an extra ten million passengers a year was equivalent to superimposing the annual passenger throughput of Birmingham Airport - the UK's sixth largest - or Luton Airport, fifth largest, on top of the existing operation at Stansted.

Government ministers say there is an “urgent need” for additional runway capacity in the south east.

Are you worried that jet plane noise will get worse if Stansted expands? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk