THURROCK’S full council united to oppose plans for a major new airport in the Thames Estuary.

A motion by council leader John Kent to object to the proposal dubbed “Boris Island” won cross party support at last night’s meeting.

The Government has included London Mayor Boris Johnson’s proposal to build a £50billion airport on the Isle of Grain, in Kent, in a consultation on UK aviation.

Cllr Kent is against the proposal as he is worried the flight path, which is claimed would be over the water, will affect residents in Thurrock, as well as having a detrimental impact on the 3,000 birds who make the estuary their home.

He said: “This is certainly an idea that is not only being taken seriously at a high level, but is in fact, gaining ground.

“Any airport in the estuary would be an environmental disaster.”

He called the plan for planes to land and take off in the middle of a busy river “mad”.