A campaign group fighting against an airfield being built in a village have reported that placards, banners and signs have been stolen.

Chocks Go Away say the publicity gear "worth hundreds of pounds" was bought with funds raised in a public appeal.

The group is opposing plans to build a farm airfield for up to 20 planes at Mongeham near Deal which the applicants say will, in time, help revolutionise green aviation and silent aircraft.

But opponents from nearby villagers fear it will cause noise, pollution and harm to wildlife.

In a circular email sent to supporters and interested people, the group claims the promotional equipment was taken in a 48 hour period from private property owned by the campaign's members between Monday and Wednesday, June 21 and 22.

Kent Police say they are investigating the reported thefts.

Today the group pledges the campaign will not be rocked by the setback and more banners will be put up by "even more" people in neighbouring parishes.

It said: "Far from silencing the Chocks Go Away campaign, the spate of late night thefts have outraged the community and now, in addition to replacements for the stolen material, a raft of extra signs, placards and banners has been ordered to meet the demand from even more residents and local businesses."

In April Kentonline revealed how a formal planning application for an airstrip has been submitted to planning authority Dover District Council.

The application is for the land between Willow Woods Road, Little Mongeham and Mill Lane, Coulson Grove, Northbourne.

If it is approved there will be a runway, helipad, two aircraft hangars for up to 20 aircraft, flight office and toilet, workshop/plant storage building, 10 glamping pods, associated parking and a vehicular access track.

The application has been devised by two aviation enthusiasts.

They say it will be "a tiny grass farm airstrip which will be completely unintrusive" and will be one of the first ever to have a charging point for the first all-electric Pipistrel Velis Electro two-seater aircraft to be certified in the UK.

After we broke the story, Chocks Go Away launched a fundraising appeal so anyone who shares their concerns can support the campaign with donations and a petition was launched at Change.org.

The group says the missing placards were paid for with this money.

A spokesman for the airfield project said today in response to the thefts: “The airfield applicant have no absolutely no knowledge of who may be responsible for what is said to have been happening.

"It seems likely that people who do not like all the banners and placards despoiling the countryside might be removing them.

"The applicant certainly has nothing to do with this.”

A Kent Police spokesman said: "Kent Police has been made aware of the reported theft of a placard in Northbourne Road, Deal and a banner from a building in Dover Road near Waldershare. Both thefts are reported to have taken place on Tuesday 22 June 2021.

Initial inquiries are underway to establish the circumstances and anyone with information is asked to call Kent Police on 01843 222289, quoting reference 46/109282/21.

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Read more: All the latest news from Deal