Nearly 300 people have signed a petition opposing the practical ending of the Cranford Agreement.

Parents whose children attend Cranford Primary School claim allowing planes to regularly take off overhead would seriously harm pupils' education.

The 60-year-old gentlemen's agreement, preventing aircraft from departing to the east over Cranford from the northern runway, was ended by the then Labour government in 2009.

Heathrow has applied for the taxi-way works needed to allow some 35,000 planes a year to take off over Cranford and although Hillingdon Council refused permission last month bosses at the airport are considering whether to appeal.

Khulique Malik, a parent governor at Cranford Primary School, has collected a 280-signature petition against ending the agreement in practice, which he presented last week to Feltham & Heston MP Seema Malhotra.

"When we talk to people (about what ending the agreement will mean) they are angry and upset," said Mr Malik, who lives in Cranford and is standing as a Labour candidate in Feltham North.

"I've seen for myself how staff at the school already have to pause their lessons every time a (landing) plane passes overhead. It's very disturbing and I'm worried about the impact allowing planes to depart overhead will have on pupils' education."

Heathrow claims ending the Cranford Agreement in practice will allow noise to be spread more evenly among its neighbours, with people living in Windsor and other areas to the west having to put up with fewer flights.

A spokeswoman for the airport said: "We know noise is an issue for communities under Heathrow's flight path which is why we encourage airlines to fly their quietest aircraft into Heathrow by charging airlines more for noisier aircraft and have schemes to insulate local schools and homes.

"We are disappointed that Hillingdon Council has chosen to reject our planning proposal which would mean noise being more evenly distributed between our neighbours. We will be looking into this decision in more detail before deciding whether to appeal."