TWO women have been fined more than £800 each after staging an eight-hour anti-war protest at a top-security air base.

Olivia Agate, 61, and Sylvia Boyes, 59, broke into RAF Leeming, in North Yorkshire, taking what they described as "direct action" to put across their anti-war messages.

They defaced signs, scrawled graffiti on a minibus and laid out a banner tied to two chairs across a minor runway.

Richmond Magistrates' Court heard yesterday that they carried out the raid to protest at the war with Iraq.

Their messages included "War? Not in my name Sylvia and Olivia" and "No to war - remember the children of Iraq".

Boyes, of Keighley, West Yorkshire, said: "War in general, but particularly this war against Iraq, was totally contrary to our aims and aspirations."

Grandmother Agate said: "Had we been terrorists, we could have opened the gate and driven a vehicle in, wired the hangers and detonated them and got clean away."

Each woman was fined £854.50. When asked how they would pay, Agate said: I won't be, because I don't pay my fines. I don't compensate the MoD."

If they fail to pay with 28 days, the matter will be taken to their local court.