Many have stressed the need for East Midlands Airport to have the same restrictions on night flights that Stansted, Gatwick and Heathrow have.

Steve Charlish, chairman of Demand (Demand East Midlands Airport is Now Designated) placed a petition on the Downing St website demanding that the Government take the neccessary action. Just over 375 people have signed the petition. Mr Charlish said "Self-regulation if night flights by East Midlands Airport has not worked and all the indications are that night flights are set to increase.

20,000 planes fly in and out of the Castle Donington airport between the hours of 11pm and 7am each year. This is an increase of 2,000 from the previous year.

An Airport spokesman said: " We respect the rights of the petitioners to make their views known in this way. We will continue to take steps to bear down on the cuases of the nuisance they experience, wherever practicable.

This news comes in the wake of East Midlands Airport announcing that passenger figures have grown by 5 per cent for the same period last year.