TEES Valley MPs are uniting behind their local airport in an attempt to save business flights to Heathrow.

The Civil Aviation Authority has proposed charges for landing at the London airport should rise between 44 and 73 per cent over the next five years.

Bmi, which flies daily from Durham Tees Valley to Heathrow, has indicated that such rises would make the route unsustainable.

Phil Wilson, the newly-elected Sedgefield MP in whose constituency the airport partly lies, said he and six other MPs will lobby the Competition Commission, which will have the final say on the rises in March.

Mr Wilson said: "These proposed rises are not only bad news for Durham Tees Valley Airport, which has operated air services to Heathrow for 37 years, but for the regional economy too.

"Local businesspeople use the service to the advantage of economic and employment growth not only in my constituency, but also in the rest of County Durham and the Tees Valley.

"Thirty-five per cent of passengers flying from Durham Tees Valley to Heathrow transfer to inter-continental flights. The vast majority are from the business community. The removal of the Heathrow flight will make our area more difficult to reach for global companies who have established businesses here."

He said it was crucial to closing the North-South Divide that businesspeople should be able to travel easily to and from the region.

Joining Mr Wilson in opposition to the rises are: Stockton South MP Dari Taylor, Darlington MP Alan Milburn, Stockton North MP Frank Cook, Bishop Auckland MP Helen Goodman and Hartlepool MP Iain Wright.

North-East minister Nick Brown and regional development agency One NorthEast have also expressed opposition.

The rise is due to come into effect on April 1.