THE Plane Stupid activists who occupied a runway at Heathrow last year have avoided jail.

The 13 protestors, four of whom live in West Drayton, had been told by district judge Deborah Wright to expect prison sentences for aggravated trespass and being unlawfully airside at Heathrow Airport.

But in a surprise U-turn following a huge display of public support, the campaigners were instead on Wednesday all given suspended sentences -described as a ‘vindication of the right to peaceful protest’ by Greenpeace’s UK executive director John Sauven.

Each of the Heathrow 13 was given a six week sentence suspended for a year, plus between 120 and 180 hours work in the community.

John Stewart, chair of campaign group HACAN, said, “Heathrow must be very worried about these protests.

“Not just by the direct action itself but the diversity of the people who turned out to support them, ranging from local residents to members of parliament.”

About 500 people gathered outside Willesden Magistrates' Court on the morning of sentencing and heard speeches from shadow chancellor John McDonnell, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas and London mayoral candidate Sian Berry.

Friends of the Earth campaigner Liz Hutchins said even suspended sentences were injust and the real threat came from climate change, not peaceful protest.

“Extreme weather has already destroyed homes and livelihoods here in the UK and this is set to get worse unless we take urgent action to prevent further global warming,” she said.

“History will judge the greater threat to our society - climate change or those who protest peacefully in a bid to protect people from its devastating effects.”

Actor Emma Thompson and comedian Alistair McGowan told the Plane Stupid campaigners in a letter: “Today you got what you deserve - our admiration, our gratitude, and our respect.”

It goes on to say: “If the Heathrow 13 are guilty of anything, it’s of being ready to act out the values our politicians only pay lip service to.”

The six women and seven men sentenced include Cameron Kaye, 24; Edward Thacker, 26; Alistair Tamlit, 27; and Sam Sender, 24, all of Kenwood Close, Sipson.

All are forbidden from going within 500 metres of Heathrow's terminals or within five metres of Heathrow's perimeter fences for 12 months.

And if they break the law within a year, they are likely to serve the custodial sentence.

On July 13 last year the protestors cut through a perimeter fence line onto the north runway, where they built a metal tripod structure and locked themselves to it.

Superintendent Andy Jones, from the Met's Aviation Policing, said upon conviction: "While it is the role of the police to facilitate peaceful protest it is also our role to uphold the law and to allow businesses and the public to go about their lawful business.

“When protestors encroach into the airside environment they not only cause major disruption but also significant danger to themselves and aircraft.

"These convictions send out a clear message that such behaviour will not be tolerated.

"I appreciate that airport expansion will trigger protest but I would urge those considering such action, to do so peacefully and within the bounds of the law."