A new £13 billion airport in north Kent should be the chosen method for tackling an expansion of air travel, according to group of local councils.

The Strategic Aviation Special Interest Group, which represents 74 councils across the country, says the government should support the option of a 24 hour four runway hub at Cliffe, as the "visionary" solution to boost air travel capacity in the UK.

However, Kent county council and Medway district council - both members of the lobby group - have resigned from it in protest.

Britain will lose 233,000 tourism jobs unless new runways are built in the south east, according to the British Tourist Authority.