Campaigners lined the street with signs, banners and masks to call for the relocation of a waste disposal and skip hire company.

Neighbours, schoolchildren and councillors came together to protest for the relocation of PB Donoghue, a company which they say causes air and noise pollution.

Activists complained of the company’s “lack of social conscience” as they said the firm purposefully operated less vehicles on the day of the protest.

Maureen Byrne on behalf of the Golders Green Estate Residents Association said: “He has stopped business for this protest and it is a lack of social conscience.”

She added: “I take antihistamines every day because of all the dust; it is a health problem and people’s health is number one.”

Passing cars honked their horns in solidarity with the campaigners, who chanted “dump dirty Donoghue’s” between pleas from individuals for the company to move to a site which does not neighbour three schools and countless homes.

Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Finchley and Golders Green Jonathan Davies said: “This is an inappropriate industrial use in a residential area.

“Barnet's Tory Council has made the problem worse by removing lorry restrictions in The Vale, which had made Donoghue’s life more difficult.

“We could solve two problems at the same time – Donoghue’s should sell their site and it should be redeveloped to provide more social housing in the area.”

The group also spoke out their stories of medical needs that have arisen including asthma and chest infections, which they say is due to dust from the site.

Childs Hill ward Cllr Peter Zinkin, who was at the protest, said: “The council recognises that problem that is caused by Donoghue’s being located here and I have taken it to the environment committee and we have organised for the Environment Agency to come down here and examine the air quality issues around the operations of the site, to work with the company to improve dust measures.

“We all recognise that in the long run Donoghue’s needs to move because this is not a suitable site any more for this type of operation.”

Managing director Peter Donoghue said: "P.B.Donoghue has been operating from our site in Claremont Road which backs on to the mainline railway for 30 years.

As a family run business we take our health and safety, as well as environmental responsibilities extremely seriously. We have and will continue to operate within all the terms of our licence, as agreed by the local council and the Environment Agency.

He added: "We have been in dialogue with Barnet Council and we will continue to do so going forward. In addition we are happy to listen to the concerns of representatives from local residents and have a constructive dialogue as part of these discussions."