Heathrow reports record September and says it's 'ready to build' third runway

Heathrow has had another record month, with 6.8 million passengers coming through its doors in September.

The figure was a 2.9% increase on last year, making it the airport's busiest every September in terms of passenger volumes.

In total, 40,292 flights passed through the transport hub.

Heathrow, which was picked by the Airports Commission as the recommended site for the south east's first new runway for 60 years, said emerging markets helped drive growth, with Mexico , China and the Middle East seeing strong rises in passenger volumes.

Heathrow used the results to once again urge the government to act on the Commission's conclusion.

It said expansion of the airport could "supercharge the government's plans for the Northern Powerhouse", triggering the creation of 95,000 new manufacturing jobs, the vast majority of which would be located outside London and the South East.

"Heathrow expansion will be a driving force in rebalancing the UK's economy by creating more export links to fast-growing markets," it said.

Boss John Holland-Kaye said: "Heathrow is ready to build - let's make it happen."

The renewed call comes two days after a protest in Parliament Square against the third runway at the west of London airport.

Conservative mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith spoke to the crowd, saying the additional runway would be "catstrophic".

"We know that our air pollution problems in London would be unsolvable if we expand Heathrow. And we know it requires the demolition of more than 1,000 homes. It is a catastrophic price to pay," he said.

Labour's contender Sadiq Kahn described the plan as "madness".