KENT councillors are warning against plans to use a disused airport to park thousands of lorries in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Manston airport, near the village of Minster-in-Thanet, will be used to park more than 6,000 lorries if the M20 motorway becomes gridlocked by vehicles heading for Dover.

Fears were raised after a leaked Department for Transport document warned of potential delays of up to two days for lorries heading to France via Dover if Britain left the European Union without a deal.

Thanet District Council leader Bob Bayford said the local authority, police and neighbouring Dover Council have all expressed concerns over the lorry park plans and the 6,000 drivers that will be on site.

He said: “Whilst we understand that the UK preparing to leave the EU is of national importance, this cannot be at the detriment of our district.”

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said that £70,000 had been allocated to the council “to buy in additional staff and specialist expertise where necessary.”