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British airport operator BAA has insisted that a climate change protest at Heathrow airport has had "no effect" on operations.

Environmental campaigners have been demonstrating outside BAA's headquarters at Heathrow in protest at plans to build a third runway at Britain's largest airport.

Up to 200 protestors are reported to be demonstrating in the company's car park after large numbers of riot police prevented protestors from surrounding the building yesterday, when a series of small-scale, dispersed marches converged at the site.

Eight people were arrested yesterday in relation to a separate incident outside British Airways' world cargo centre at Hatton Cross, outside Heathrow, the Metropolitan police has revealed.

The Camp for Climate Action, which organised 24 hours of "direct action" by protestors which began at noon yesterday, said that the "independent" group had been taking part in the wider demonstration. They began a blockade of the depot at 21:00 BST last night.

A total of 58 people have so far been arrested during a week-long event to highlight the impact that the aviation industry is having on climate change.

Commenting on the current protest outside BAA's headquarters, a spokesman for the airport operator confirmed that staff had been instructed to stay away from the building today for "their own personal safety".

But insisting that the demonstration had not impacted upon operations, he explained that BAA staff had been told that they could either spend the day working from other Heathrow buildings, or working from home.

Meanwhile in separate protests which appear to be linked to environmental concerns, demonstrators have taken action outside the Sizewell B nuclear power station in Suffolk and the headquarters of oil giant BP.

Suffolk police confirmed that its officers were called to Sizewell B at 07:54 BST following reports that a group of six protestors were at the site. A spokesperson said the force was continuing to monitor the situation.

In a separate incident, several demonstrators have surrounded BP's headquarters in central London.