Members of the group Plane Stupid turned up at Gatwick Airport train station and South Terminal just before 8am today (Thursday).

Three groups of protestors entered the airport through the train station before splitting up in a three pronged attack.

Two activists scaled a wall inside the train station and unfurled a banner above the concourse saying 'SHORT-HAUL FLIGHT? LET THE TRAIN TAKE THE STRAIN'.

British Transport Police said they were arrested for trespassing and taken to Crawley Police Station.

Two more protestors headed to the South Terminal's international arrivals area before reportedly handcuffing themselves to railings on the mezzanine – they unravelled a large banner that said 'STOP SHORT-HAUL'.

They were asked to leave by airport security staff.

The Observer understands that a third group, dressed as airport staff, handed out leaflets to bemused holiday makers.

The group is campaigning against what they see as Government inaction over climate change.

The group was targeting flights set to take people to Scotland for the famed Edinburgh Festival which starts tomorrow (August 8) and runs until the end of the month.

There are 139 flights scheduled from London to Edinburgh for the festival as opposed to just 22 trains.

Two protestors were peacefully removed by British Transport Police and there was no disruption to flights in or out of the South Terminal.

A spokesman for BAA, the airport's operator, said: "There was an incident this morning. Two people did enter the South Terminal iwth a banner but left after a short time. They were not chained to the hand rails."

For the full story see next week's Observer.