It was a battle of David and Goliath proportions. A group of campaigners took on the might of the Government, business and the airline industry to stop a third runway at Heathrow - and won.

Now, campaigner John Stewart has written a book detailing the fight to stop further expansion and reveals that victory was down to a well-planned and hard-fought team effort.

He said: “When we set out on our historic campaign to stop Heathrow expansion nearly a decade ago a victory party would have seemed like a dream.

“But our triumph was no fluke. It wasn’t a question of luck. It was the result of a clear strategy, a radical approach, daring tactics and an utter refusal to believe that we wouldn’t win.”

Mr Stewart, chairman of the anti-expansion group Hacan, gives a firsthand perspective of the campaign to stop the plans, which first emerged in 1997, in Victory Against All The Odds.

Prompted by a sudden rise in aircraft noise over his home, Mr Stewart joined the Heathrow campaign - but he admits he thought long and hard about getting involved.

However, once in, he said one thing was clear; all those opposed to expansion had to work together to build a coalition, to challenge the justification for a new runway and to take proactive steps - even direct action - to drive home their case.

The book says the cross-party support of MPs and politicians, celebrities and the backing of environmental groups including Greenpeace, the Campaign Against Climate Change and the World Wildlife Fund helped raise the profile of the campaign.

And the real impact of expansion was revealed through members of the No Third Runway Action Group, who would see their homes in Sipson bulldozed if the runway was allowed.

Ultimately, Mr Stewart said he hoped the book contained valuable lessons for campaigners - no matter where they lived, or the cause they were fighting - on how they should never give up.

His book, released to mark the official campaign celebration party Sipson, on August 28, can be read online at hacan.org.uk.

• What do you think? Let us know by emailing imason@london.newsquest.co.uk, phone the newsdesk on 020 8330 9533 or leave a comment below.