Hundreds of activists opposed to a third runway at Heathrow staged a "flash mob" protest at Terminal 5 today in what is the first major demonstration since the Government gave the go-ahead for the expansion on Thursday.

Environmentalists gathered with local residents and climate change groups in a show of solidarity and support for the village of Sipson, which faces demolition when the £9bn project commences.

More than 2,000 people will lose their homes and thousands more will be forced to live within a few hundred yards of the new third runway.

Campaigners, wearing red t-shirts emblazoned with the words 'Stop Airport Expansion', said they were ready to move into homes facing destruction.

Leila Dean, 29, of campaign group Plane Stupid, said: "We came here because we are supporting the 700 villagers who will lose their homes if the plans go ahead.

"We are ready to move into their houses if the runway goes ahead but we don't think it's going to come to that because no one wants the runway."

While the demonstration was peaceful, police hemmed in a group of female campaigners wearing red body-paint who lay down on the ground with the words, "simply no slaughter" printed on their stomachs.

Richard Howlett, 26, of Hackney, east London, said: "We believe that Gordon Brown, with the decision he made this week, has put us on a runway for climate chaos."

Dressed as the Prime Minister, complete with mask, the activist added: "This is take-off for climate chaos but we are going to stop that. Climate change urgently needs action and this is taking us in exactly the wrong direction."

Protesters also called for the Transport Secretary to go, shouting: "Hoon out" and "pelt Geoff Hoon" as they launched sponges at the man in the stocks and the demonstration gathered momentum.

In another symbolic gesture, one of several activists dressed as Gordon Brown kicked an inflatable globe around the terminal.

The hour-long protest came after one MP was suspended from the House of Commons this week. John McDonnell was sanctioned after he picked up the mace and placed it on an empty bench.

Focusing on the Hayes and Harlington MP's actions, one campaigner, dressed as a Suffragette, insisted MPs should be given a vote.

"Our MP was excluded this week and that just shows the Government doesn't even care what its own MPs think," Christine Taylor said.

Ms Taylor, who is originally from Sipson but now lives in the neighbouring village of Harlington, added: "I think it is about time the Government let our MPs have a democratic vote."

The protest was staged with the arrival flight at Heathrow of the Airbus A380 superjumbo as Qantas joined Singapore Airlines and Emirates in making its maiden A380 flight to the UK.

Advances in engine design and fuselage on the planes mean that an A380 produces 50% less noise than a 747-400.

But protesters said they were "unimpressed", instead calling for a reduction in air travel and increased investment in train links.

Leaders of the protest will meet later this month to discuss future demonstrations, including some which they warned would be aimed at shutting the airport down completely.

Responding to the threats to close down Heathrow, a BAA spokesman said: "We respect people's right to protest but we would ask people to respect passengers' rights to fly."

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Society of British Aerospace Companies, Matthew Knowles, stressed the economic value of aviation.

"Almost one million people are employed in the aviation industry and it contributes over £15 billion per year to the UK economy. If we grounded every flight in the UK we would lose that and more but would only cut global CO2 emissions by 0.1 per cent," he said.

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