Nine protesters, including a Shipley art student, have been found guilty of shutting down an airport after they staged a demonstration on the taxiway.

Members of the “Climate 9” group shook their heads as the jury returned guilty verdicts following a four-hour deliberation.

The group, which includes Katherine Mackay, 21, of Birklands Road, have slammed the verdict, claiming they are not criminals.

At the trial a prosecutor claimed the stunt may have resulted in the loss of £100,000 due to cancelled or delayed flights at Aberdeen Airport.

Fiscal depute Alan Townsend called for a hearing into the airport’s financial loss when the nine face sentence in August.

The motion was granted by Sheriff Colin Harris, who allowed the confiscation of dozens of items seized by police from the group including wire-cutters and pliers.

Following the verdict, the group said they were pleased to have seen their cause brought before a jury.

Miss Mackay, who is studying at Glasgow School of Art, said: “The law may have found us guilty of breach of the peace. But we have had a great deal of support from all kinds of different people.”

An Aberdeen Airport spokesman said someone could have been hurt and branded the demonstration irresponsible.

The group was convicted of shutting down the airport and disrupting flights on March 3 last year.

The court found its actions put people in a state of fear when they entered the premises, climbed the roof of the terminal and behaved in a disorderly manner.

William Boggia, 44, of, Ballater, Scotland; Mark Andrews, 26, of Edinburgh; Matilda Gifford, 26, Daniel Glass, 26, Jonathan Agnew, 23, Josephine Hanson, 25, and Emilia Karwowska, 20, all of Glasgow; James Kerr, 35, of Paisley, had denied the charges.

They will be sentenced on August 25.