ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners have said the increase in flights from airports in the North-East is coming at a hefty cost to the local economy.

Using data from Office of National Statistics, Friends of the Earth say UK air travellers using the region's airports are spending £761m more abroad per year more than foreign visitors flying in to the region.

Friends of the Earth's aviation campaigner Richard Dyer said: "Local businesses are missing out on millions of pounds every year and airport expansion will make this worse, encouraging people to take more and more short trips abroad."

A Durham Tees Valley Airport spokesman said: "It is hard to understand the logic behind the arguments being put forward by Friends of the Earth.

"Indeed, their claims fly in the face of all other economic assessments of the impact of airport developments - and the views of those involved in the region's tourism industry.

"Take, for example, the very detailed studies carried out by independent consultants.

"Their findings demonstrate that the planned development at Durham Tees Valley over the next decade will create up to 2,500 jobs in the Tees Valley and will add about £126m a year to the regional economy."

Newcastle International Airport planning and development manager Graeme Mason said: "The Friends of the Earth study does not take into account the hugely positive economic benefits to the region of expanded business opportunities for existing companies in the North-East, the impact on continuing levels of growth in inward investment, or the increase in direct employment opportunities arising from aviation expansion.

"In new employment opportunities alone, the Economic Impact Report - independently commissioned by Newcastle International Airport - concluded that in 2000, the airport supported or generated about 13,500 jobs in the region and that, by 2016, this figure is expected to more than double."