CAMPAIGNERS last night called for a cap on the number of flights leaving Southampton Airport as fears over noise and air pollution continue to mount.

Hampshire members of Friends of the Earth fear the spiralling popularity of travelling abroad coupled with cheap airfares could have a devastating effect on rural areas of the county.

And they have called for Southampton airport bosses to put the brakes on any plans to increase the size of their operation.

At their meeting in Brockenhurst Village Hall last night, environmental campaigner Chris Bluemel said flight numbers per year from the city had already topped 43,000 and called for a future limit of 50,000.

He added that the number of people using Southampton airport could rocket to as many as six million a year by 2030.

Mr Bluemel told members: "Any more increase in flights will lead to noise pollution, air quality problems and issues with climate change.

"Massive increases will mean that noise is heard by more people, more often.

"At the moment, all we can do is call the airport and complain.

That is why we are calling for the number of flights to be limited."

He said homeowners in the New Forest would soon begin to feel the effects of the more frequent air traffic ploughing across the skies.

One worried resident from Hythe told the meeting that the noise of jets preparing to land was becoming unbearable.

He said: "Sometimes it sounds like they are coming in through the front door and out through the back."

The concern comes after protestors in the New Forest lost a battle earlier this year to stop passenger jets flying over villages that are supposed to enjoy some of the highest levels of environmental protection.

An air corridor used by planes approaching Bournemouth and Southampton airports is being expanded to cope with the ever increasing demand for flights.

Meanwhile major plans for the expansion of Bournemouth airport are also expected to go ahead, despite a recent attempt by New Forest National Park Authority to thwart the scheme.