Campaigners against the rapid growth of Stansted Airport are redoubling their efforts following last night's disaster.

Norman Mead, general secretary of North West Essex and East Hertfordshire Preservation Association (NEEHPA), lives a quarter of a mile from the crash scene in the village of Great Hallingbury.

He said residents had survived by the grace of God.

"We were initially fighting against the airport itself, but in recent years we have accepted it is going to grow and now our aim is to maintain it and make sure it is the best airport it can be under certain conditions," he said.

Mr Mead, 72, said the accident did not come as a complete shock. "We were starting to get increasingly worried with the vast increase in traffic," he said.

"Cargo itself has increased by 40 per cent this year and is operated by many different companies, including Korean Air.

"We were particularly concerned with cargo and the variety of firms concerned from a variety of parts of the world flying near the limits of their capability."

But Mr Mead said up until last night they had no particular concern with Korean Air.

"Perhaps we should have been worried in terms of its record worldwide," he said.

With 9.5 million passengers flying a year and a capacity of 15 million with an extended terminal, Stansted Airport has the potential to double in size.

And Mr Mead said plans for a new terminal could increase the number of passengers to 40 million. He added plans for more housing in the area, including a proposed new town just to the east of the airport, could increase the chances of loss of life on the ground in the event of any future accident.

He said the way forward is to have offshore airports far away from residential areas.

"If this aircraft had been going on the newly altered flight path to the west the outcome would have been an entirely different matter," he warned.

"When this kind of thing happens I see why one does what one does," he said.

(Right) Animated - officials explain what happened to the world's press

(Left) Roads were closed as the investigation into the crash began

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.