Anti-runway protesters are attempting to hijack public exhibitions being staged on the expansion of Gatwick airport.

They have rented a meeting room at Gatwick's Hilton Hotel to stage their own exhibition and undermine the Department for Transport's runway roadshow at the same venue.

Although the department is not officially acknowledging the conflict and the hotel management is playing down the issue, the move is sure to have angered officials behind the consultation.

A conference room at the Hilton has been booked for the first display of the full proposals for Gatwick on Friday and Saturday this week.

But Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign (GACC) leaders have now hired out the adjacent room for their own show.

While the official display will have models and photographs, it will be staid in comparison to GACC's exhibition, which will have live music, youth drama and free balloons for children.

Gatwick Hilton manager Christopher Rawstron said: "Everyone is entitled to their opinion and, as far as we are concerned, there is no conflict.

"It has not even been mentioned to me by any of the department's representatives."

A Department for Transport spokesman was keen to point out it is a public consultation and the GACC is quite welcome.

"We are keen that they are showing such interest and we couldn't stop them even if we were unhappy about it. They have a contract with the hotel. We want the public to air their views and this is one way of doing it."

But the GACC's team is viewing it as a coup.

A spokesman said: "Our exhibition is right next door and it will bring home the environmental cost of any new runway to the public.

"We will have live singing of anti-runway songs, a short drama on pollution and free balloons as giveaways."

The room will feature stands with information from GACC, the Council for the Protection of Rural England, The Woodland Trust, Horley Anti-Runway Campaign, Crawley's new One is Enough group and parish councils.