Ascot residents demand a halt to Heathrow flight path trials

Residents living in and around the Ascot area have called for flight trials out of Heathrow Airport to be scrapped.

The airport and the National Air Traffic Services (Nats) began the five-month trial of the potential new flight paths in August.

Residents say planes fly over every three minutes and have described the noise as "unrelenting".

An online petition has been set up demanding the trials are stopped.

"Residents can see the planes very clearly from their gardens, and the noise is so loud now it disturbs any conversation they have outside," the online petition states.

The e-petition needs to reach 100,000 signatures to trigger the prospect of a Commons debate.

The trial, which affects areas surrounding Ascot including Sunninghill, Sunningdale, Winkfield, Binfield and Warfield, is being carried out to reduce airspace congestion.

A Heathrow Airport spokesperson said: "We'll be holding a public meeting next month to discuss these trials with residents and apologise to anyone who has temporarily experienced more noise than usual during these trials."

The trials are being driven by the Government's Future Airspace Strategy (FAS) and are due to end on 26 January 2015.