Volcanic Ash cloud: Stansted Airport neighbours enjoy the quiet life

LIFE without Stansted Airport wasn t all bad. Just ask 46-year-old Sarah Cousins who lives in Brick End, Broxted. After 17 years of living with the constant drone of aircraft engines she was thrilled to finally have her garden back. Whether during take-

LIFE without Stansted Airport wasn't all bad. Just ask 46-year-old Sarah Cousins who lives in Brick End, Broxted.

After 17 years of living with the constant drone of aircraft engines she was thrilled to finally "have her garden back."

Whether during take-off or landing, planes fly just a few feet above her house, to the point that it is almost impossible to hold a conversation.

Mrs Cousins said: "There has been no noise at all. It has been fantastic. We can hear the birds singing and the children playing.

"Since Thursday we have been enjoying the garden for the first time in as long as I can remember. It is a shame it won't always be like this because it is nice to have it back."

In the past, Stansted has only shut down for short periods, due to snow, terror attacks, or crashes.

However this shutdown had a much different feel to it explained Mrs Cousins. "It was more surreal," she said, "Well almost quite spooky actually because there seemingly was no evidence to suggest why planes were not flying. You looked outside and the skies were blue. Whereas you can see snow on the ground and during 9/11 it was obvious what was going on.

"Throughout this closure we always had the feeling that a plane was about to pass over our heads but it never did."

Having lived so close to the airport for so long, Mrs Cousins has seen it grow from a small rural runway into the third busiest in the UK.

She added: "Usually we have to stop conversations half way through whilst a plane flies over. It really is that loud. It can be a little embarrassing when we have guests. But these past few days have been great.