A noisy gang of teenagers was chased away from the site of a peace camp near the perimeter of RAF Brize Norton after they began shouting at anti-war protestors.

A group of police officers who were keeping surveillance on the camp in Willow Meadows chased the youngsters away from the scene to prevent a confrontation.

The protesters, who are members of the Bristol Stop the War Coalition, set up camp on Thursday to express their opposition to the "illegal occupation of Iraq", and calling for the withdrawal of British troops.

Campaigner Dr Margaret Jones said: "We're not here to antagonise anyone, apart from perhaps to express our anger at the Government."

It was expected that the camp would swell to about 50 people during the weekend.

On Friday the protestors performed an 'exorcism' outside the gates of the base, which they describe as the 'gateway' to Iraq.

On Saturday, they held a march through Carterton before toppling a giant statue of Prime Minister Tony Blair, mimicking the toppling of a statue of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in Baghdad.

Kate Hudson, chairman of CND, said the event was aimed at raising awareness of the role the base played in ferrying British troops to Iraq.

She said: "Although it was a protest at the base, it wasn't hostile to the forces. It had a peaceful atmosphere and was very positive because it was actually going out to talk to people, not just sitting at a base complaining."

Ms Hudson said the campaigners had been banned from handing out leaflets by Thames Valley Police under section 12 of the Public Order Act.

Dr Jones played down the Friday night disturbance as just a prank carried out by about a dozen local youths aged about 14 or 15.

She said: "They never came near the camp, and I think they were just out to check us out.

"I don't think they were planning any confrontation with us, they were just being mildly obnoxious.

"The police have been very considerate about our camp, and they chased them off with torches around the edge of the field. It was a bit like the Keystone Cops, and I thought it was quite funny."