STEWARDESSES and environmental demonstrators joined forces to disrupt British Airway's annual meeting in London.

Air crew protesting about having to retire at 55 were joined by protestors, dressed in white boiler suits, goggles and masks, from Heathrow anti-noise group HACAN ClearSkies.

The environmentalists were drawing attention to what they believe will be unacceptable pollution levels if a third runway is built at Heathrow.

Former stewardess Jill Kitchenham, 55, of Mark Cross, East Sussex, was forced to retire in January.

She said: "The Government says it wants people to go on working until 70, and I am told that at 55 I am getting kicked out.

"It's a bit galling when BA chairman Lord Marshall is still in his job at the age of 69," she said.

Addressing the annual meeting, Lord Marshall said BA was in favour of a third runway at Heathrow and that the airline was confident that environmental concerns could be addressed.

He said that lasting effects of September 11, the Iraq war and the Sars crisis had resulted in the last year being "the worst ever for airlines".