A row broke out today over one of the winners of an anti-third runway film competition, which shows an animated plane obliterating a row of houses.

Pro-expansion campaign group Back Heathrow declared itself 'genuinely shocked' by the short film, which took second place last week in a contest organised by Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith.

But Mr Goldsmith accused the lobby group of 'deliberately misinterpreting' the 'blindingly obvious metaphor'.

The film, whose makers received a £3,000 runners-up prize, shows a plane touching down in the middle of a desolate neighbourhood, smashing a row of houses to smithereens.

You can judge for yourself by watching the video below.

Video Loading

According to Mr Goldsmith and the celebrity panel of judges who praised the film, it graphically portrays the threat to communities which would have to be demolished to make way for a new landing strip.

But Back Heathrow's campaign coordinator Rob Gray accused Mr Goldsmith and celebrity judges including Hugh Grant of trying to whip up fear with their selection.

"To promote a film that shows a plane crashing into houses as part of a campaign against a major local employer is in appalling taste. It really smacks of desperation," he told ITV today.

"We are genuinely shocked that Zac Goldsmith and his celebrity judging panel have stooped so low to score a cheap political point by whipping up fear in the local community.

"Most local residents want Heathrow to succeed and will not recognise this portrayal of their airport."

The audience votes by holding coloured cards aloft at the finals of the No Ifs, No Buts anti-third runway short film competition, organised by Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith (photo by Paul Hampartsoumian)

Mr Goldsmith responded by saying the film was an animated metaphor for the devastation airport expansion would cause in west London.

"That was blindingly obvious to the 800–strong audience at Richmond Theatre, who voted for it," he added.

Mr Goldsmith, who teamed up with anti-Heathrow expansion group HACAN to run the competition, plans to send all the shortlisted films to the leaders of the main political parties. He said he hoped at least one of the videos would go viral.

By whipping up controversy over the film, Back Heathrow runs the risk of helping its opponents in that aim.

The quarrel came as the Queen visited Heathrow this afternoon to officially open Terminal 2, which has been named The Queen's Terminal in her honour.