Four Just Stop Oil protesters have been arrested near Manchester Airport on suspicion of conspiring to cause a public nuisance.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said a “proactive operation” on Monday morning involving officers from its specialist operations branch had prevented a targeted attack which would have brought “significant delays”.

It added that those detained – three women aged 21, 30, and 53, and a 23-year-old male – were found to be in possession of items it believed would have been used to cause damage and disruption to the airport.

GMP’s head of specialist operations, Chief Supt Mark Dexter, said: “We have been working hard with colleagues from Manchester Airport and police forces across the country, sharing intelligence, with the common goal to prevent these disruptive and targeted attacks on our airports.

“We have a duty of care to all members of the public. The right to protest must be respected, but we have a duty to balance that right against the rights of the public to go about their lives without being subject to unacceptable disruption.

“These arrests have no doubt prevented a determined and targeted attack which would have brought significant delays and upset to those hard-working people heading off for their summer holidays.”

A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said: “Just Stop Oil supporters are always fully accountable for our actions and as such the four arrested today will accept any legal consequences.

“Accountability is a core feature of non-violence, which is at the centre of Just Stop Oil’s mission. We take action because we want a safe and stable society. Delivering a Fossil Fuel Treaty that ends oil and gas by 2030 is an essential step for our Government to prevent massive disorder.

“The rioting and racist attacks that have occurred over the weekend are a foretaste of what will come as climate breakdown progresses and puts unbearable pressures on society.”

Two of those arrested were named by the campaign group as Ella Ward, 21, an environmental science student from Birmingham, and Margaret Reid, a 53-year-old shop worker from Kendal, Cumbria.

On Thursday, seven Just Stop Oil protesters were held on suspicion of public order offences after blocking the passenger search area at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5.

Both the Metropolitan Police and Heathrow said minimal disruption was caused, and it is understood the demonstrators were removed within 20 minutes.