An alliance of councils fighting expansion at Heathrow Airport has doubled in size following a recent membership surge.

The 2M group originally got its name from the two million residents living under the flight path in 12 councils, including Hounslow.

But the group may need to consider a name change after people from Brent, Harrow, Lewisham, Southwark and Sutton joined and increased the membership to four million.

Hounslow Council's leader Peter Thompson, said: "When we launched 2M it was a west London campaign but now it has spread across the capital and into the home counties."

Recently the Government carried out a consultation to gauge public opinion on its plans to increase capacity at Heathrow by building a third runway and replacing runway alternation with "mixed mode".

Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly is expected to announce her decision this summer.

A major public rally, dubbed Make a Noise, is planned for Saturday, May 31 to campaign against expansion.

Thousands are expected to converge on the village of Sipson, the site of the proposed runway, to take part in the protest.