About �20m has already been spent on upgrading the airport

Protesters against the plans for London Ashford Airport, Lydd, used the Local Government Act to call the meetings.

More than 400 people attended the two events, with a total of only 11 votes cast against the referendums.

The polls will be organised by Shepway District Council and must be held some time within the next month.

A spokesman for the council said the referendums would be held simultaneously between 1600 GMT and 2100 GMT, on a date yet to be fixed, with only registered voters attending in person entitled to take part.

'Waste of money'

Both Lydd and New Romney residents will be asked: "Do you support the proposed expansion of Lydd (London Ashford) Airport, including any runway extension?"

One of the residents who campaigned for the poll, Dick Matra, from Greatstone, said: "I believe a referendum is the most democratic way in which to measure public opinion and I strongly urge all residents to vote in the forthcoming polls."

But airport managing director Zaher Deir criticised the polls as a waste of local taxpayers' money, claiming there had already been sufficient public consultation carried out by Kent County Council and Shepway District Council.